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Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus – A Favorite Hymn and a Contemplative Practice

October 9, 2009 By Jean Wise

You become what you think about. (Earl Nightingale).

What do you focus on?

So often I see only my problems, my faults, my limitations. My ego leads my thinking and behavior down wrong paths with a dimming flashlight. I focus on my circumstances, not my blessings.

I know the answer. The ironic solution lies in my life verse from Hebrews 12:2: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

The old hymn, “Turn your Eyes upon Jesus” says it all:

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.

Did you realize the lady who wrote this wonderful hymn, Helen Howarth Lemmel was blind? She had much heartache in her life including being deserted by her husband when she lost her sight.

Lemmel could have focused on her losses, yet she spent her life in music including writing over 500 hymns. A woman without sight saw the vision of how to truly live: with eyes on Jesus.
Justify Full
Some call this spiritual practice – contemplative gazing – resting only within the arms of God. Not showering God with “gimme, gimme gimme” and only an occasional thanks, but quietly letting his spirit seep into our hearts.

I plan to try this practice this week. Join me. Find your favorite picture of Christ and just gaze at it prayfully for 5- 10 minutes. See where God invites you.

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We become what we focus on.

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Filed Under: hymns

Comments

  1. blankrobert says

    November 14, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    Appreciated your posting of Helen Lemmel’s lovely gospel song, and your comments about her. If you’d like to learn a bit more, I invite you to check out my daily blog, Wordwise Hymns, for today.

  2. blankJohnnie says

    October 12, 2009 at 6:35 pm

    My spiritual focus right now is on Esther and Chambers’ Utmost devotional book. But as I also read through Psalms and Proverbs, I’m looking for concepts on “heart” and “mind” for a possible project. Jeanie, so appreciate your work on this beautiful blog.

  3. blankClella says

    October 9, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    FOCUS is the key and I am trying. Beautiful post Jeanie. Clella

Healthy Spirituality – a sacred space to nurture your faith, grow closer to God, and belong to a community, walking together on life’s journey. This blog is written by author, speaker and retreat leader Jean Wise

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