Terrorism, political upheaval, the cost of living, higher taxes, political correctness, fake news, attacks on Biblical values, cancer, weather and fears of all types are problems which we face today. It is easy to get discouraged and overwhelmed by the problems of life which we encounter. How easy it becomes, even for those of us who profess to be faithful followers of Christ, to get caught up in the "things of earth," so that our heavenly vision and values become blurred and dull. This can even happen when we are active in our Christian ministries. We can become so involved in merely doing things for God that we miss the real blessing of enjoying the personal fellowship of Christ Himself in our daily lives. My grandfather who was a pastor for many years used to encourage his congregation with the admonition, "Keep Looking Up". And that is such good advice because that is where our relief and help comes from, today, day by day, and then one of these days when Christ comes back to take us away from the problems of this world. We need to turn our eyes upon Jesus and keep our focus on Him, with eternity's values in view. The author and composer of this hymn, Helen H. Lemmel (1863-1961), relates that one day in 1918, a missionary friend gave her a tract entitled "Focused." The pamphlet contained these words: "So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness." These words made a deep impression upon Mrs. Lemmel. She could not dismiss them from her mind. She recalls this experience following the reading of that tract: "Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but none the less dictated by the Holy Spirit." The hymn was first published in 1918 in the form of a pamphlet in London, England. Four years later, it was included in a collection titled, "Glad Songs", a book containing sixty-seven songs by Mrs. Lemmel. This hymn became especially popular that same year at the Keswick Bible Conference in northern England, where it was first introduced. Have you lost your focus? Has your spiritual vision become blurred? "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." Hebrews 12:2. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
(1) O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
(2) Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace
(3) His Word shall not fail you — He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace
Listen to it here. LISTEN
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