Give Me Jesus

I hung out my Easter Lanterns. A couple of years ago I made these sweet little glass jars with candles and colored ribbons to hang along the front walk. I am always drawn in by their light as I walk by the lusciously scented Jasmine, the pastel ribbons softly swaying near the blossoms. I feel such peace when I walk along the path. Easter lanterns symbolically  leading the way to Christ.

This year the world is in a commotion like I've never seen. And I'm reasonably old enough to say that with some kind of emphasis! What are we to make of all these events? Every day it seems something else dramatically shifts, I think people may be a little bit afraid to even get out of bed in the morning; what will happen next? And so many prophetic scriptures come to mind! Like this one:

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:7

I woke up a few mornings ago with the old song running in my mind:

"In the morning, when I rise.

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning. When I rise, give me Jesus."

I think my soul needs His Light and His Peace. Isn't that what we all need? The greatest source of hope in trying times is the Savior.

Around me, people are panicked and afraid. I do not need to list all the many ways our lives have changed in the last few days and weeks. Things are SO different!  We're creatures of habit, most of us. It's a bit unsettling to not be able keep our treasured and soul sustaining routines. To not see our friends and give them hugs. We tell ourselves we're sacrificing to keep others healthy, and this is a good thing. But for some, it's just hard to make the best of a difficult situation. We let the fear of what is yet unknown before us take over in our minds, and it creates a very real panic.

Throughout my life, through times of difficulty, I have felt the Savior's love and presence in my life. In times of deep heartbreak He has comforted me. In times of fear, I have felt a blanket of calm. During anxious times that have driven me to me knees over and over, I have experienced His Peace and Grace. In times of loss, I have been buoyed and carried in ways I never could have imagined. Even now, when those around me are filled with anxiety and fear, I can testify that Jesus Christ is the source of all peace and hope.

When we turn to Him, we have no need to fear, this I know is true!

"Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus!

You can have all this world

But give me Jesus."

And others are turning to Him too. And finding peace and hope. A very few of us gather in homes on Sundays to sing hymns and worship. Some of us gather in a FaceTime group for uplifting scripture discussion. We FaceTime people now more than ever! There are good people out there; I stood near a woman waiting in a line. A woman behind us in that line had some health issues. When the door opened, the woman in front of me and offered for the woman behind us to go ahead. "I am not the person who pushes others out of way". It made my heart smile. There is more of this….we all can tell of such experiences…and it brings us hope.

"No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

Last week, a broadcaster mentioned on social media that he was going to hang his Christmas lights back up as a sign of hope! And boy, did that catch on!  CHRISTmas lights!

It's not surprising at all that someone thought Christmas lights as symbols of hope. Well, of course! Suddenly it has become the Season of Lights once again. And oh, how uplifting those lights are to our souls! They remind us of the Light of the World. The Passover Lamb. They remind us of Jesus. Jesus, the Source of all Truth and Light. They are not just CHRISTmas lights, now they are HOPE lights. Easter Lights. They lead us toward Him!

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

It's not Easter month yet, but the lights are out. Lights for Jesus.

May we all feel His Hope.