Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me
Abide with Me 1847
By: Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)
Listen to this lovely version of this hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the video below.
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Please enjoy this video and the transcript below.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we conclude our journey through this hymn in which we plead for the abiding presence of Jesus, ask Him to make Himself known. Let’s tune our hearts.
The Cross
If the last thing we see on earth is the cross of Christ, the first thing we see in heaven will be His face.
The cross is our hope when we face the end of this life, because it is also our hope in every moment until then. When we come to the end of this life we will be inclined to draw encouragement from the things that were dearest to us. The cross is dear to us not only because it gives us hope to face things in this life, but also is the gateway from this one to the next.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 ESV
The cross informs and instructs in every situation, be it waking or sleeping, living or dying. When we determine to associate with Christ and His cross in all things it transforms our perspective of everything. What are facing today that you need to see in light of the cross?
This is an interesting request. We are asking our Lord to hold His cross before our closing eyes. Though the setting of this hymn has been the approach of night, the scale seems even grander here, the approach of death. Will you make this prayer your own, now and then?
RESONATE!
Take a few moments and consider the cross. What does it mean to you? Do you think the cross will be the final thing you will want to see, or the last thing. Make this your simple prayer “Lord, keep Your cross before me.”
The Skies
We know that Jesus path was through suffering, the cross, death, then resurrection. Our path will be the same as we look not only to the cross but through it to what God has in store for us beyond the gloom of this weary existence. Are you learning to rise above the gloom by the light of the cross?
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV
He suffered, and so shall we. Our suffering is never the end but the gateway. Even death, the greatest suffering, is just a doorway into resurrection life. If we join Him in His suffering, we will join Him when He rises. We follow His example and look through the gloom to the skies.
It is the perspective of the cross that shines through even the gloomiest of circumstances and gives the hope of more, even beyond the grave. We are inclined to look down as death approaches but the cross invites us to look up. Ask Jesus to shine His light through your gloom.
RESONATE
Take a few moments to focus your gaze. There is gloom in this life but Jesus wants to shine through it by way of the cross. Pray a simple prayer like this one, “Jesus, shine Your light through my gloom.”
Jesus, thank You for Your cross. It allows me to abide with You. It is the vehicle of my abiding as well as the road it travels on. Teach me to live moment my moment in Your presence. In Jesus’ name.
Cross-fixed Tuning!
Keep coming back, and we will work to help you remove the things that may hinder your longing for His return by cultivating an awareness of God’s presence. We will help you tune your heart to live out your worship by providing resources like this to help you acknowledge the greatness of God as you become more Resonant, 7 days a week.
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Video 45.5 Transcript
Welcome to Tuesday Tunings at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s tune our hearts.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me
This is an interesting request. We are asking our Lord to hold His cross before our closing eyes. Though the setting of this hymn has been the approach of night, the scale seems even grander here, the approach of death. Will you make this prayer your own, now and then?
Lord, keep Your cross before me.
It is the perspective of the cross that shines through even the gloomiest of circumstances and gives the hope of more, even beyond the grave. We are inclined to look down as death approaches but the cross invites us to look up. Ask Jesus to shine His light through your gloom.
Jesus, shine Your light through my gloom.
That upward gaze helps us to anticipate the dawning of Heaven’s morning and see through the fleeting vanity of the shadows of earth. We must cultivate this upward gaze. Is there anything that is discouraging yours? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you lift your eyes.
Spirit, help me lift my eyes.
Certainly we need God to abide with us in life because that is when we develop the confidence that He will also be with us in death. Do you need help developing that? Ask God to help you abide with Him now by learning to live in His presence moment by moment.
God, help me abide with You moment by moment.
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has surfaced in your heart, or just listen to what He is saying to you, then we will sing once more.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life in death O Lord abide with me
Take the awareness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post The Cross Fixes our Eyes on the Skies, Not the Gloom of the Doom appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attributions
Hold Thou Thy Cross - https://pixabay.com/vectors/burial-cemetery-cross-dead-death-1299277/
Shine Through the Gloom - https://pixabay.com/vectors/the-walker-above-the-sea-of-clouds-7310714/
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