"And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace," is part of the refrain of the classic Christian song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
"That's not saying the struggles of life aren't there; it just means that comparative to our glorious future . . . " explains Jordan. "That gives me the ability to endure now. That's why Paul says in Romans 8: 24-25, [24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
[25] But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
" 'For that we see not,' is the glory to come. What gives us the capacity to endure? A perspective, an understanding, a reckoning, a thinking process. We understand why things are the way they are. We function now with that realm of knowledge.
"When you respond to the present sufferings by reckoning the glory to come more valuable than what's now, you know what you're doing? You're thinking and responding to sufferings the way Jesus did.
"Romans 8:17 says, [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
"When Paul says we suffer with him--not for Him but with Him--listen, Jesus Christ is not suffering today. That's Roman Catholic heresy that says He's being sacrificed on the altar and suffering.
"The verse means if we respond to the sufferings in this world now the same way He responded to the sufferings He endured . . .
"Hebrews 12:2 says, [2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
"Jesus looked at the present suffering and the joy that was going to come because of it and He said, 'That's more valuable than this!'
"If you back through the crosswork of Christ, and you go through all those passages in Psalms and Isaiah and so forth where you look into His mind and you see how He's thinking, you see all that's out yonder is what's important; that's what sustained Him.
"When you think about the present suffering the way He did, you suffer WITH Him. That gives you the capacity to labor with Him because you think like Him. If you labor with Him because you think like Him, pretty soon you're going to be delighting in the things He delights in and that's the will of His Father and you have this personal relationship that develops in that.
"There's why the glory that's going to be revealed is the way it is. Romans 8:18-19 says, [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
[19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
"That's what everything's waiting on. It's for that when that glory which shall be revealed in us is manifest. Everything's waiting on that manifestation of glory out there in the future. That's the hope!"
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"When the peace of God is filling the heart and life, there is no feature that shows it forth as do the eyes," explains Bible expositor Cora MacIlravy (circa 1916). "When the bride gets her eyes upon Jesus Christ, and her love is fervently going out to Him, Christ begins to reveal Himself more clearly. Even in her physical eyes can be seen a look that comes from abiding in His presence and holding communion with Him . . .
"The bride is keeping her eyes upon Jesus so that deep, settled peace of soul and spirit is being perfected within her, and is becoming manifested before the eyes of those who know not God, and to Christians who have not entered into deep experiences with God. When our thoughts have become lost in the thoughts of God, this unearthly reflection is in our eyes.
"When we are seeking nothing for ourselves excepting to have the will of God done in our lives . . . when every thought has been brought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ, man sees the Christ looking out from our eyes . . .
*****
"Song of Solomon 7:4 says, 'Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.'
"We are not told that her eyes are like waterfalls. We are not told that they are like a river that is rushing seaward, its bosom covered with ripples and waves. We are not told that her eyes are like the ocean, which is moved upon by the moon, and is lashed into fury by winds and storms; which is tempest-beaten and tossed. They are like the pools of Heshbon; still, deep, quiet; none knowing whence this stillness comes or how it is fed.
"The word 'Bath-rabbim,' means, 'the daughter, or city, of a multitude.' These pools are at the gate of the 'city of a multitude,' where the throngs hurry by and crowd through the gate into the city; but the water is unmoved, unruffled. The joys and sorrows, the hurry and rush, the ambitions, desires and distresses of the multitudes have never moved those quiet pools.
"The bride may be at the very gate of Bath-rabbim, but there is tranquility in her eyes and appearance that the world can neither give nor take away. Her life is untouched, unmoved, unpolluted by the unrest and turmoil of the world and the crowds around her . . .
"Toward the eyes of the Bridegroom, the eyes of the bride are as doves' eyes; pure, holy, steadfast, watching for the dawn of the Eternal Day of His presence. None that pass by can see whence these pools are fed, but if they could look down into the depths of her life, they would see springs of living water pouring into her being from the very throne of God. Her eyes are not looking toward the world, but are steadfastly fixed upon her Lord . . .
"It is not when we separate ourselves from humanity as do the hermits, or isolate ourselves from mankind as does the recluse, that our eyes become as the pools of Heshbon. This holy rest and meditation are perfected when we are doing the will of God, and faithfully performing the duties He has given us to do . . .
"May the Spirit of God make us like the pools of Heshbon. Though there are wars and rumors of war, though there are tempests and tumults, none of these things move us as we abide, still and hidden away in His presence . . .
"It is easy to follow the Lord and look a little like Jesus when there is nothing to disturb us. Even the ocean and the large lakes reflect the skies with some clearness when there is a calm. But He would have us reflect Him as clearly in unfavorable, as in favorable circumstances.
"He would have the image of Christ shine as bright and clear in the darkest night, as at noonday. He would have Christ's reflection upon us unbroken and undistorted when we come up to hard things and face insurmountable obstacles; when we are maligned and persecuted; when we are hated and slandered for His Name's sake."
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