Open My Eyes, Lord! March 2, 2015 |
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Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) was a writer of over 8,000 hymns. Her profound insight and poetic expressions of the glory of God are still prominent in modern Christian hymnals. She saw with her spiritual eyes what she couldn’t see with her physical eyes – for when she was six weeks old, a medical ointment applied to her eyes blinded her for life.
According to Christianity.com, Fanny Crosby once said, "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about
me.”
According to the American Sunday-School Union in 1900, Fanny Crosby had the following exchange with an evangelist.
Evangelist: “Miss Crosby, I think it is a great pity that the good Master, when He showered so many gifts upon you, did not give you
sight.”
Fanny Crosby: “Do you know that, if at my birth I had been able to have made one petition to my Creator, it would have been that I should be made blind.”
Evangelist (while being astonished): “Why?”
Fanny Crosby: “Because when I get to heaven the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior. I shall know Him by the print of the nails in His hands.”
As a young girl, Fanny Crosby memorized the first five books of the Old
Testament, Proverbs, many of the Psalms, and all four New Testament Gospels. As she meditated on God's Word, Fanny Crosby grew in Christ by writing hymns.
She described her hymn-writing: “It may seem a little old-fashioned, always to begin one's work
with prayer, but I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration.” Her hymns were composed entirely in her mind and she worked on several hymns at once before dictating them to a friend who transcribed the hymns.
In addition to writing thousands of hymns as an overflow of God's Word in her heart, ministry overflowed Fanny Crosby's heart as she served most of her non-writing time as a missionary among the homeless in rescue missions around New York City. Out of that ministry came the hymn, "Rescue the Perishing."
Rest Stop
Introduction A few weeks ago during a Romans Bible study that I led, we sang a hymn by Fanny Crosby. Last Sunday in church we sang another hymn by Fanny Crosby. In both of these hymns, I noticed passionate references to “see” God in all of His glory. I went on to notice that most of Fanny Crosby’s hymns included a passionate desire to “see” Christ.
This struck me as so remarkable because Fanny Crosby was physically blind.
We are being deceived when we, as God's children, believe we have liabilities. May we trust God our Father to empower us to "see" everything He allows in our lives to be opportunities, not
liabilities, to "see" Christ, to know Christ, and to live in Christ!
My desire is to “see” Christ more and more. I sense the Holy Spirit is compelling me to more frequently close my eyes in quiet prayer for longer and longer periods of times -- not as an attempt to escape the world and its sinful circumstances, but as a hope and a prayer to learn to focus my “seeing” the world through
the eyes of Christ.
This Rest Stop lists excerpts from some of Fanny Crosby's hymns that focus on “seeing" Christ in His glory.
I hope this helps us “Behold (see with all of our heart) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord and be transformed into the same image from
glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). |
"SEEING" EXCERPTS FROM HYMNS BY FANNY CROSBY
Blessed Assurance Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels, descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking
above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
He Hideth My Soul He hideth my soul in the cleft of the
rock Where rivers of pleasure I see.
Close to Thee Lead me through the veil of shadows.
Lord, Here Am I Living, or dying I still would be Thine; Yet I am mortal while Thou art divine. Pardon, whenever I turn from the right; pity, and bring again to the light.
My Savior First of All When the bright and glorious morning I shall see... ...and His smile will
be the first to welcome me. Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face and the luster of His kindly beaming eye. I shall know Him, I shall know Him by the print of the nails in His hand.
Redeemed I know that the light of His presence with me doth continually dwell.
Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim
It I know I shall see in His beauty, the King in whose Law I delight.
To God
Be the Glory Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus the
Son. But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our victory, when Jesus we see.
All the Way My Savior Leads me Lo! A spring of joy I see.
Tell Me the Story of Jesus Love in that story so tender, Clearer than ever I see. Stay, let me weep while you whisper, “Love paid the ransom for me.”
I Am Thine O Lord Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope.
Pass Me Not, Oh Gentle Savior Trusting only in Thy
merit, would I seek Thy face.
Jesus is Tenderly Calling Why from the sunshine of love wilt thou roam?
Will Jesus Find Us Watching Faithful to Him will He find us
watching with our lamps all trimmed and bright.
He is Coming We shall see Him in all of His beauty.
Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet "Look unto Me, ye people" saith the Lord your
God. Tho' your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Savior, More Than Life to Me Let me love Thee more and more, Till this fleeting, fleeting life is o’er; Till my soul is lost in love, In a brighter, brighter world above.
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A hymn written by Fanny Crosby that is near and dear to my heart is Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross. It is my view from
His cross, resurrection, and ascension where I "see" my Lord Jesus through my blessed union with Him.
God, by His grace, crucified me with Christ, buried me with Christ, and raised me a new man in union with the resurrected Christ. Through this union I know Christ intimately as my Life. And as a
result of this union, I am growing more and more to "see" Christ Himself in His glory and as my source of love, hope, strength, humility, genuineness, rest, wisdom, etc.
May God keep us near the cross of Christ to continue opening our eyes to His glory! "Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever; till I reach the golden strand, just beyond the river." Your brother in Christ, Gregg |
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Journey in Christ, Inc. is a biblical, Christ-centered discipleship counseling, teaching, and training ministry with a heart to come alongside pastors and the local churches in the Greenville SC area. I am a member of Holly Ridge Baptist Church in Simpsonville SC.
We have three full-time staff members, one staff member trainee,
six board members, one ministry assistant, dedicated prayer partners, and a multitude of ministry partners.
I would love to hear from you!
Contact me at (864) 483-3201 and/or gregg@journeyinchrist.org if you would like to know more how I can support you in your journey and ministry with Christ. |
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