Hard to believe I’m sitting at my computer and it’s December 31st, 2021. Even though it’s been a chaotic, unsettled year, the time has flown by. Perhaps that’s because I was busy, busy writing my first book and getting it published.
For the past week I’ve felt compelled to consider what my first 2022 post would be for my new website.
On Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the birth of the Christ child, I was actually thinking about a New Year’s resolution, which might seem strange to my readers but here is my reasoning. I felt led to consider the question, why wait until January 1st to commit to something special and I know God felt the same way – here’s how I know!
Today when I awoke, after actually having a few days of feeling frustrated, upset and sad, I was blessed by what will be my New Year’s Focus. A song that was written in 1922 by Helen Lemmel and published in a collection called Glad Songs came to my mind – so clear it was like someone was singing it into my spirit.
Here are the words of the chorus, that has blessed my heart for the last 33 years, ever since first hearing it when I began my Christian journey:
“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.”
Imagine, going from sadness over the continual ‘bad news’ we’ve been hearing, day in and day out over the last couple of years that seemed to get even worse yesterday, when we were notified that our Church would not be holding, in person, services this Sunday and for some weeks to come undoubtedly! Then in my head I heard these words and experienced a feeling of deep ‘gratitude’ for the ‘good news’ found in this little chorus: (and the things of earth will grown strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.)
I arose from my bed and in turning to my Daily Journal, I made a decision to dig deep into the Gospel of John and was again revived in my Spirit. Let me share with you the words that affirmed me that God Himself had been at work in my heart.
John 1:14 “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
There it is – the same truth found in the chorus: And things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Wow.
I’m actually excited to see what God has in mind for 2022. I’m not wishing for anything other than hearing from Him and in seeing how He will work in and through what we might continue to see as ‘bad news’ with the ‘good news’ that He is in control and He has a plan for His children.
Praying for all my readers that He will move in your hearts to help you, like He did me, during those challenging times we may still have to face, in the future.
If you know the chorus, I recommend you take a few minutes and “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face” and experience the joy I’m feeling knowing that “the things of earth are growing strangely dim, even as I write this blog, in the light of His glory and grace.)
Amen.