Turn...and Find His Joy!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Be grateful for each drop of joy God adds to your day.

             Recently, my husband and I joined a disaster response team from our church as we ministered to flood victims in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  There we witnessed heart-breaking, life-altering devastation. Many of the residents had lost every material thing they owned…..homes, furniture, cars, keepsakes….even their churches.  But the amazing resilience that we often saw, first-hand, amazed us! Their faith was strengthened and their joy in the Lord was obvious! Our team had gone to help…yet, WE were the ones who were truly blessed and encouraged.

            From their examples, we learned much! Often we heard these precious people, who had been stripped of all their worldly possessions, not lamenting but giving thanks! Instead of focusing on all they had lost, they were looking toward Jesus, their Provider.  It reminded me of the beautiful song, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” (written by Helen Lemmel in 1922). Remember the words?

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.

            That is how, my dear friends, we can “rejoice in the Lord, always”.  May we keep our eyes focused on the face of Jesus even while facing difficult challenges.  His glory and grace are sufficient; and truly He will sustain us through all times.

            Turn your eyes upon Jesus….and find His joy in all things.