Keeping my Eyes on Jesus

Since being on chemo and wearing my scarves after losing my hair, almost everyone has commented on how pretty my eyes are. When one of the ladies at the lab commented on them, I realized that they have always been my best feature, but so often in the past, my hair distracted from them. Of course my blue scarf also helps to highlight the blue of my eyes as well. 

Thinking of eyes makes me think of a very special hymn. 

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, 

Look full in His wonderful face, 

And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

That song has been running through my head this last week as I have been reading about the ministry and miracles of Jesus. In being fully God, Jesus was not limited in His own power to perform miracles. However, when in his hometown, he was limited by the faith of the people around him to do much. The degree of miracles seems to be more related to the faith of those involved, most often the loved ones of the person needing healing but also at times the person needing healing. One may have needed Jesus to come to the house to heal the person, where as the other asked Jesus to simply speak the word. One felt the need to have Jesus lay His hands on him, whereas another simply desired to touch the hem of his garment. The disciples saw Jesus do so many miracles and yet they would so quickly forget Who He was and what He was capable of doing. 

One day they saw Jesus feed 5000 men plus women and children with only five loaves and two fish leaving twelve baskets of scraps once everyone was satisfied. Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat and then sent the people home. Jesus went to pray. Then as the disciples were in the middle of the sea, Jesus began walking toward them. They were scared and feared He was a ghost. Upon recognizing Him, Peter asked to be called out to talk on the water. Jesus called him out. As long as Peter kept His eyes on the Lord, he was able to walk on water as well. However, when he took his eyes off of the Lord and put them on his circumstances, he began to sink. None the less, Jesus rescued Peter by lifting him up out of the water. 

How often I am like Peter. I see Jesus and know I can do anything that He calls me to do. I hurriedly obey, but then I look around at my surroundings and let reality distract me. Oh, how I want to go deeper in my faith. I don't want to sink. I want to keep my eyes on Him and trust Him in every circumstance, even when it is not rational. The song "Oceans" has been a favorite of mine for years, specifically for the part, "wherever You would call me," for our time of being overseas. Now I find myself drawn to the whole of it, to see my faith made stronger. "I will keep my eyes above the waves." 

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, 

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior." 

God is Good!

I wrote this blog Sunday, but I am just now posting it.

Last weekend, I took my wonderful hubby out for his birthday. As we pulled into the parking lot for the movie, there was a lady giving testimony on the radio. She apparently had been concerned about a lump that was found, but it turned out to not be cancer. She was telling of the goodness of God. While I can understand giving praise to God for good results, I was disturbed to hear that as a basis for His goodness. 

God is good because He is good, not because I get the result I want. God is sovereign and in charge, whether it is the way I want things or not. 

Because my tests were positive for cancer, does that mean God ceases to be good? Absolutely not!

When Jesus did not go right away to Lazarus, upon hearing of his friend's illness, did He stop being good? No! Instead He received greater glory upon raising Lazarus to life again. 

As I read my study this morning, it asked how I might talk to Jesus differently if He were sitting right beside me. Initially, I thought I would ask for Jesus to take away the pain I have in my knees and other joints as a result of this week's treatment. I know my sweet faith healing friends would say He would touch my knees and remove the pain. However, I would then jump up to serve Him, in my very Martha fashion. Instead, He might choose to leave the pain to keep me still before Him, sitting like Mary at His feet, remembering that He is God. 

So whether I get the result I want or not, I will praise the Lord! 

"He gives and takes away, he gives and takes away,

my heart will choose to say, Blessed be the name of the Lord."