SIMPLY REJOICING 12: Bow and Honor the Lord

Sorry this is a reposting. I hit the post before I was ready on Tuesday!  :(

1- FIX YOUR GAZE HEAVENWARD

"A glimpse of heaven will ignite hope to keep watching."

MONDAY, July 7   Zombies!
Hebrews 12:2 GNT
Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! 
     When I first read the title of this chapter, my first reaction was, "OK, the book will end with great emphasis on just waiting for the Second Coming and forget the work we have to do in the here and now."  But no!  I found this last section had a great deal of meat to chew on!  
   The word fix in the original Greek meant simply an intensity of gaze.  In English, however, we have added multiple meanings including to heal, to fasten, and to re-arrange or tamper.  This is a good thing writes Mark Buchanan in Things Unseen!  Because it provides more depth of meaning to fixing our eyes on Jesus!  
     Buchanan also says that Christians are dead men walking.  We have died to our old ways and walking in a new resurrection.  That brought my mind to the recent visit of my young nephew Tucker and his fascination with Zombies!  (A current craze I think.)  Christians are Zombies!!  Zombie-mania in a different light!  We are living in anticipation of something better, but we are living in the here and now.  
     When things get rough, when our Christianity is hard to bear, a fixation on Christ can help us 'ride the wave'.  (It's time to go play on the beach!) 

2- CONCLUSION: WATCH WITH WIDE-EYED WONDER

"A vision of His glory will send you forth rejoicing!"

TUESDAY, July 8   OPEN MY EYES!
Ezekiel 10:12 MSG
The cherubim were full of eyes in their backs, hands, and wings.

     Ann Voskamp in One Thousand Gifts writes, "O Lord, open the eyes of my heart, the eyes of my hands, the eyes of my mouth, the eyes of my feet.  I long to be all eye."  Like the cherubim with eyes covering their bodies, we need to have the spiritual vision to view the world through the eyes of God.  It can change everything.  
     The song "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord" keeps running through my mind as I consider this final chapter of Lewis's book.  As she started with the concept of rejoicing through the Trinity at the beginning of each day, we can conclude with the Trinity once again - and our vision through the Trinity.
     See God's glory in the wonder of Creation, in the wonder of ourselves as we were made in his glory and to glorify Him;
     See the miracles of the Holy Spirit around me;
     See Jesus in everything and through the eyes of Christ view my world.  

I need to keep my eyes wide open!!  All my eyes!!  

This post is based on the book, SIMPLY REJOICING, by Patsy Lewis, published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013.