The last Christian holiday we celebrated was not even four months away. Now that we have arrived at Holy Week, the anticipation of Easter, Resurrection Sunday will be different than any we have experienced in our lifetime. As we find ourselves in the midst of a worldwide pandemic where scientists and doctors are scrambling frantically to find a vaccine to stop it, life as we know it has come to a screeching halt.

Over two thousand years ago, the one true King who offered Himself as Savior of the world was rejected by man. Although He knew His earthly fate would result in His heavenly reign, He still fell on His face and prayed, saying “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Life as we are experiencing it right now as hard as it may be even with sickness, death, and uncertainty all around us will never come close to what Jesus was facing. Yet, He was able to say your will be done, not mine. The death of our Savior on that cross captured the attention of everyone in the world! After He had taken His last breath, it was the Roman centurion who said, “truly this was the Son of God”. Could it be in the midst of this world crisis today, that He is awaiting those words to be spoken once again acknowledging that HE IS THE SON OF GOD? Just like that first Easter Sunday, the world has once again been given the opportunity to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Savior. What if the world would turn their attention to the One who has the answer to every issue, every problem, every VIRUS?

This will be the Easter that will go down in history that there were no Easter parades, no Easter egg hunts, no beautiful Easter outfits with shoes and hats to match. Since there will be none of that this year, where should we focus all of our attention? My mind goes to the one of my favorite hymns. Although it is not a song normally sung to celebrate the Easter season, it is so befitting of what we all must do. Since so much has been removed from our daily lives, why not TURN OUR EYES UPON JESUS! I promise you, when you turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, you will no longer see where you can’t go, and what you don’t have, but you will see the great and matchless love He has for you, and the abundant life He died to give you!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Oh, turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.