Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Happy Sunday, ladies! I hope you have had a good weekend. We have spent time with our family, and that is always good in my book.

We’re headed to church this morning. There has been some talk that we may have to stop meeting together again because our Covid-19 numbers are rising.

I think we will find out more this week. We have to be careful, but I also know that I can’t live locked up in my house. I have no answer, but I am praying. Praying for us all.

I read this from CS Lewis this week, and I thought it was a good read. He was writing about living in the age of the atomic bomb but it can certainly apply to our situation today.

Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb:

“We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”

In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways.

We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics, but we have that still.

It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world that already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.

This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together.

If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts — not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.

They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that), but they need not dominate our minds.” — “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)

I love the last line, they may break our bodies, but they need not dominate our minds. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.

 

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  1. Thank you Cyndi for such a great post and so needed for all of us. I was doing better with all this until family members have gotten the virus and fought for their lives. One still is. I think if you have had it hit home, you feel a little different than those who haven’t. I’m trying to be as safe as possible and trying to figure out how to live life too. Hard to know how far to open up from immediate family etc. I think we all can only do what works best for us and our states and situations and trust God to guide us and protect us.

  2. Thank you for this timely reminder Cyndi! Praise God that we can trust our God is in control. His is sovereign and He loves us.

  3. in 2 1/2 weeks time our church raised 100,000 dollars to convert the baseball field to an outdoor sanctuary. this mornings service was held outdoors. pulpit worship team (no choir yet due t social distancing) God is truly wonderful!! a bonus is that neighbors were able to hear the beautiful singing and His Word without having to leave their home. The media committee worked things out for a flawless online service as well.
    Hope that good news is something to brighten your day. Now, if our governor will just not think he needs to meddle in that .

  4. Thank you so much for these beautiful words. I really needed to hear them as this world brings so much uncertainty but we must live! It was a tough afternoon, a friend/ sister is going Through some serious health issues & your words brought encouragement. God Bless you! Thank you for sharing your beautiful smile,clothes, & inspiration.
    Colleen

  5. What perfect words we ALL need to hear!! It’s so comforting…just LIVE & leave it to Jesus. It’s really all about Him anyway. ❤ Thanks for sharing!

    1. What perfect words we ALL need to hear!! It’s so comforting…just LIVE & leave it to Jesus. It’s really all about Him anyway. ❤ Thanks for sharing!

  6. Thank you for the message today, Cyndi. it is so timely and even tho I do not live in fear at all, I feel anxious and uncomfortable about the government forcing me to do this and that to avoid catching the virus. Of all the few people I have heard caught this, they all had discomfort and like a bad cold or flu, recovered. Cleanliness, common sense, and keeping healthy in general should be stressed. Children need to go back to school and businesses need to open so our work force can start making a living again.

  7. Thanks Cyndi, that is brilliant! I agree, we need to carry on living, not live in fear. There is a scripture that says something like this “don’t let your heart be troubled or dismayed, I’ll be with you slways”.

  8. I love the quote from CS Lewis. It really does help put current events in a better perspective. Thank you!

  9. This post reminded me of a story my late MIL told me about her young days of mothering. She was certain her baby had some life threatening malady and her aunt said “Nan that may be true but if we are to lose MaryAnne let’s just go through it once”. There is much to be scared about these days but this reminder holds true for me. I needed to hear Nan’s (and yours) words today!

  10. Thank you for this excerpt!! I’m usually reciting Scripture to ‘take captive every thought’ but today I was feeling unusually fatigued-mentally and emotionally. The last line is exactly what I needed to read. The threats and troubles of the world ‘need not dominate our minds’!! Have a blessed day, my friend!!

  11. What a great and powerful message. Thank you for sharing!

    I pray that our world will Wake up and turn our eyes toward Jesus, 🙏🙏

  12. Thanks for sharing. So true. We have to be wise but not be controlled by fear. I love the comic where Charlie Brown looks at Snoopy and says, “Snoopy, one day we’re gonna all die, Snoopy replies,”yes, but on all the other days we won’t”. I choose Life!

    1. Thank you for sharing this from C.S. Lewis. We need reminders that there have been other times where our country has felt vulnerable to illness or war. God is in control. My faith is in Him.

  13. Thank you again for your dedication to your Sunday post. I know it’s hard sometimes to get just one more thing done for Sunday!
    This really is a bright spot!
    Pertinent post for our looming virus numbers. We all just need to take care of each other. Golden rule.

  14. Always look up Jesus’s is always paying attention and he is always with us … thanks for your blog today

  15. Hi Cyndi, Thanks for sharing. It was very helpful and a reminder to not allow fear to overwhelm one. Of course, caution and safety, but not FEAR.

    As he says, we don’t need it to dominate our minds over all else.

  16. Hi cyndi thanks so much for the reminder. We definitely do need to take the necessary precautions, but we can do so without having a mindset crippled by fear! Love the reminder to focus on Him not the waves (or in this case virus). I so enjoy these Sunday devotions, they put me in the right frame of mind for worship. Quick question, will you and Jennifer be finishing your series on numbers? I’m looking forward to it!

  17. Cindi,
    thank you so much for sharing these words by one of my favorite authors. How relevant.
    “ If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things— not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.”
    We must live sensibly, but we must live!
    May God keep you and your family well.
    Donna

  18. Thanks for sharing this today Cyndi I had not heard that before. However I have to agree with Carol. Now mind you my current circumstances are much different. I am in Canada and living in a province of approximately one million people. We took the needed precautions back when Covid was first unleashed, and we were one of the last places to probably see any covid numbers when it all started. We did not re open too soon, and we have managed to keep our numbers to almost zero since reopening, (except a few that were travel related cases) . We currently have one I believe. We are now preparing for the second wave which will no doubt hit in the fall. As of the end of this month wearing masks is mandatory for all indoor locations. ( wearing masks has always been suggested, and of course mandatory in our salons, dentists, medicals environments, etc.) We have social distanced, kept gatherings to a minimal number, and we have begun living with a new normal, or at least until a vaccine is found. We have not had church inside with full numbers since March, and outdoor services are being held with scheduled numbers. I think I can say that I have not lived in fear through this once. Concerned yes, Cautious yes, even anxious at the height of it all, but fearful no. God is and always has been in control of the situation.
    Blessings
    Karen

  19. Thank you Cyndi!
    This is one of the best “how to live with covid” posts I have seen! Faith and common sense are gifts from God, not fear!
    God be praised.🙏

  20. Amen!!! Thank you for sharing this. I love the last part. I work in health care and have been saying that we need to learn how to live with this virus. God will take care of us. Thank you for your posts.

  21. Cyndi,

    Thank you for reminding me that we serve a Savior who isn’t caught off-guard and is in the midst of it all with us. Thank you for being a mouthpiece for our Lord. I value your inner beauty tips as much if not more than the very helpful fashion tips.

    10,000 Blessings from SC!

  22. Wow! This is so good!
    Thank you Cyndy, this has given me a whole new perspective on the situation we find ourselves in today! God is still on the throne!
    Love and blessings to you and yours!
    Terry

  23. Thank you for sending this! What a tough few months its been for all of us. Our son and family live in a state that boarders our state. He is our only child and its been a lonely time for us…… We needed to see one another, and a few weeks ago we met at the boarder to say hello…. Tears flowed down our faces that day because if we stepped over the boarder we’d be quarantined for two weeks. Again thank you for the encouragement. This too shall pass! Praying for America….

  24. I’ve never read this before….Thank you for sharing it! Amazingly speaks to the times we are experiencing now!

  25. Excellently put today! These times are quite uncertain, yet we continue to live life in ways where it is dependent on each individual and their comfort level. Thank you for today’s post – it provided me even greater perspective.

    Take care!

  26. I loved this article by CS Lewis you shared with us today! It’s so spot on for Covid19 today. Thank you for sharing this with us Cyndi. What an encouragement! May God find us busy doing life with Him. After all, He is all that really matters.

  27. While I understand the sentiment of this post being careful is not living in fear. I do not fear death as I believe the Lord can take us at the time He wants, but I also believe that we need to use common sense and not tempt faith. While I do not FEAR death, I don’t want to die – there are many things I still would like to do and see like watching my grandchildren grow up. Maybe because of my age I am certainly more cautious and I do what I can to protect myself and my husband. Just like wearing a seat belt, looking both ways before crossing a street, or stopping at red lights, I wear a mask, social distance, and stay home as much as possible. I don’t think that is “living in fear”, I think it is being a responsible citizen. God bless us all.

    1. I agree with you Carol.Wearing a mask, social distancing, and staying home as much as possible are the ways that we, as a society, are going to stop the spread of the virus. This is the only way the numbers are going to go down and we’re going to get the economy back on track. This is how other countries have moved through this crisis successfully. So for me, doing these things isn’t about me being fearful, but more about me doing my part. God Bless!

      1. Lisa I am doing all those things too. I did not say don’t wear a mask. I’m not saying don’t be careful.
        But there are many isolating and living in fear and I’m encouraging us to be safe but let’s not live fearful. Faith over Fear.

    1. We went back to church last night and it was the first time since March. It felt so good to be back but so different. The pews were all marked off six feet apart and only two or three families sat in a pew, depending on the size of the family. Masks were to be worn through out the service. We lifted our masks only to take communion. Even though it felt strange we are so fortunate to have two very wonderful priests who have been amazing through all of this. As for me, I am pretty willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of this crazy stuff. I don’t live in fear but just try to do the best I can as we all do. Thanks for your message today.

  28. Love this, Cyndi! The fear that is thriving and consuming our world today is far more disheartening than any other possible threat, IMO. Thank you for sharing this Godly wisdom that surpasses the ages!

  29. Enjoy church and getting out while you can. We opened too soon in Texas and now taking steps back. My 23 year daughter got the virus while working at the grocery store we think but she had very mild symptoms, thank you Jesus. But we had to all quarantine for 2 weeks. Very scary and I did a lot of praying. Be safe out there.

  30. The country needs to hear this message. I agree wholeheartedly with his words. I’m frustrated with the amount of living in fear I see around me. Fear is not from God so I need to work to keep it out of my life.

    Thanks you for being brave and sharing these words.

  31. Your post from CS Lewis is an awesome reminder. If we give up and give in to fear, we have lost our faith. Life is a gift from God, from a newborn to old age each day is precious. I refuse to give into fear, and will continue trusting God, and live the days He gives me. Thank you for this great post today!

  32. Love this post! I am a youth minister at a Catholic Church and was furloughed in May with hopes of returning in September. It doesn’t look like I’ll be back due to a lack of money at the parish. My heart breaks, but I must face the fact that God has other plans for me. My new prayer is, Heavenly Father, how May I serve you in my ‘new life’ ?

    1. While I understand the sentiment of this post being careful is not living in fear. I do not fear death as I believe the Lord can take us at the time He wants, but I also believe that we need to use common sense and not tempt faith. While I do not FEAR death, I don’t want to die – there are many things I still would like to do and see like watching my grandchildren grow up. Maybe because of my age I am certainly more cautious and I do what I can to protect myself and my husband. Just like wearing a seat belt, looking both ways before crossing a street, or stopping at red lights, I wear a mask, social distance, and stay home as much as possible. I don’t think that is “living in fear”, I think it is being a responsible citizen. God bless us all.

  33. Thank you for sharing these wise words. If we are in Jesus we need not live a life of fear, for we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 8:37)

  34. Good Morning Cindy,

    Your message was so good to read and spot on with all that is going on in our world right now. There are many things trying to pull us apart, but one thing it has done is remind me of what is important. It’s the small thing, family, friends, and the gifts Good has blessed us with.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Blessings,

    Diana