1/28/2008

Don't Close Your Eyes!

"My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!"

"My faith looks up to thee," that's an action, isn't it? How, then, can I have faith in him, if my eyes are shut? With bravado I talk of getting through the next 2 weeks, 5 months, 4 years, only by trusting him. In reality most of them time I've got my eyes squeezed shut as tight as I can, blindly stumbling through those 2 weeks, 5 months, or 4 years. How pathetic.
How can I close my eyes to my Abba, who wants nothing less for me than absolute purity? The Dear One who gave his life so willingly for me, that I may have a rich, full life in him! If I would only remember that he will not ask me to go where he will not take me!! How can I follow, if I cannot see? How can I be strong in him, if all I see is what circumstances demand of me? If I accept what circumstances demand of me as my fate then I have lost sight of my Redeemer, the One who can and will and DOES miracles.
To take your eyes off Jesus is dangerous, and painful. Once you've truly seen him, to block him, even/especially unknowingly is just awful! To not have his sunshine and warmth is devastating.
Sometimes things seem too hard, and you want to hang your head and cry, but please don't. Just keep looking up to Jesus, don't lose sight of him!! Sometimes life gets easy, and you get distracted, and want to look at something else. Please don't. You just purpose to keep your eyes on Jesus, keep looking at him, he will give you strength! Sometimes things get so scary, and you just want to close your eyes and bury yourself in your pillow, but please, please don't. If Jesus is leading the way, and you have your eyes on him, you will go through with victory!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and don't close them, no matter what happens!