Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

by Hillary Mortensen

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus has long been one of my favorite songs. It is a good reminder to me to follow the instructions of Hebrews 12, verses 1-3:

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When I get too caught up in my list of things to do, the pursuit of wealth, physical pain, the roles I feel God has called me to, protecting my reputation, or otherwise, I fail to look to Christ. When I do look to Jesus, it is as the song states: the things of Earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. This helps me fall more in love with Jesus and puts things in better perspective.

This week, I read another Charles Spurgeon devotional that takes this idea even a step further. While I know that it is wrong to be concerned with the cares of this world, I did not consider how even looking at my own joy in Christ, my hope, my faith, or my prayers takes my focus off of my Savior, my source of hope, the author and perfecter of my faith.

It is ever the Holy Spirit's work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan's work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus." All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument-it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name."

I still have a long way to go in the way of throwing off everything that hinders me, sin that entangles me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, and considering Christ in all I do. No wonder I all too often feel weary and lose heart. Are you feeling weary and losing heart? Will you join me in the practice of turning our eyes on Jesus? (And, if you have ideas about how to do that, please feel free to share it with all of us.)

For now, please join us in focusing on Jesus as we pray for Adam (Now's a good time to start the video below and then continue.):

• Instead of questioning whether you have enough faith to see the miraculous, praise Jesus for being the author and perfecter of faith.
• Rather than contemplate your own love and whether you love well enough and hard enough, praise God for being love and ask that you would receive His love in abundance and give it freely.
  
• Consider not your hope, but look to Jesus, the source of your hope. Acknowledge that since all hope comes from Him, it is futile to hope in medicine or even in your prayers.
  
• While it's okay to grieve, do not dwell on the sadness. Think on Jesus, who, out of love, endured opposition, loneliness, punishment, and abandonment for our sakes.

Prayer warriors, let us turn our eyes on Jesus. May we not grow weary. May we not lose heart.