Seeing What Matters

Photo: Johannes Plenio, pexels.com

“I know I shall see in His beauty the King in whose law I delight; Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps and giveth me songs in the night.”—from an old hymn, “Redeemed”

For every time I want to see all my ducks in order before stepping out,

To want to see what’s around the bend ahead before taking the first step,

To see ahead and find appealing the sidelines of retiring,

Let me see instead this one:

Someone who wrote more than 8,000 hymns and gospel songs

(Including the one in the caption).

And not until after she was 40.

Someone who wrote four books of poetry.

Someone who played piano, AND organ, AND harp, AND guitar!

Someone who was the first woman to speak words of inspiration before the U.S. Senate.

Someone who gave away everything that was not necessary to her daily survival.

Someone who wanted to be remembered not as a creative but as one who served behind the scenes in an urban rescue mission

When other friends had long since retired.

Someone who, incredibly, never “saw” any of it.

Someone who was blinded shortly after birth but who lived a life of praise to God anyway.

Someone who once said about all of that:

“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.”

—Fanny Crosby

Some would say Frances Jane van Alstyne Crosby was the very person Jesus was talking about when He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29, NIV) But for every person who battles “beautiful and interesting” distractions in life and the need to have every duck lined up just so, an even greater inspiration from Fanny Crosby’s life might be this:

“You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him, and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” (1 Peter 1:8)

It's good to know that it's never too late to press "Reset" ...and go!