Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

"Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always." - Psalm 105:4

When we were in Merida, Mexico last year we saw reminders of Jesus Christ wherever we went.  Even restaurants displayed the crucifix.  In this morning's Our Daily Bread Amy Peterson writes, "We can tend to talk to [God] without really 'looking' at Him.  We pray, but we remain caught up in our own questions and focused on ourselves, forgetting the character of the One we're praying to....Many of our concerns are best addressed by reminding ourselves of who God is and what He has done.  By simply refocusing we find comfort in what we know of His character:  that He is loving, forgiving, sovereign, graceful."

I wrote about this four years ago in a post called Guarding the Tomb. Now the Lord is showing me that I need to let go of some things in my past that are keeping my focus on myself.  In my journal this morning I wrote, "You can't undo what has taken place and forgiving yourself may feel impossible, but God forgives you.  As you look 'full in His wonderful face' you can walk in HIS forgiveness--it will be enough--as you continue to turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look at Him and not yourself.  Seek His face always."  What I was realizing is it is not within my own power even to forgive myself--only God can truly forgive--and as long as I see Jesus when I look in the "mirror" I can experience the freedom that the exchanged life gives me.  It is by His grace that I am saved and can therefore be forgiving and loving as I allow the Holy Spirit in me to reflect His love and forgiveness.

Father, seeing only you in myself and in others will enable me to experience the freedom Jesus paid for on the cross.

Link to scripture:  Galatians 2:20

Take Action:  Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (a song based on the booklet, "Focussed", by Lilias Trotter