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Living in the Light
February 25, 2023
Isaiah 58:9b-14 | Psalm 86:1-11 | Luke 5:27-32
Two things came into my focus as I read these readings. The first being the Isaiah passage: “The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.” The second, of course, is a hymn: “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.” But how do they relate to each other, and how does it fit into Lent?
So began my journey of discovery. It begins way back in Victorian times with a young woman, Isabella Lilias Trotter. She came from a well-off family and yet walked away to found a mission in Algeria. An accomplished artist, she used her pictures to portray the words she wanted to share. One of her pictures, which can be found in a collection of her writings/pictures is that of a scripture verse in Isaiah. In researching more into her life, Isaiah described it perfectly. Committed to walking in God’s light, seeing God’s light reflected in all of creation Lilias became God’s light to the people of Algeria. Lilias made numerus “tracts” for the people that were published, but there was so much more. One was called “Focused” and in it Lilias explored being focused on Jesus, God’s light. Lilias relates seeing a ray of sun coming through the tree shining on a wilted dandelion with its face turned to receive the full light. Inspired by this in 1922 Helen Lemmel, noted singer and hymn writer, penned “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”.
Fast forward to the 1950’s when another pair of missionaries arrived at the mission Lilias founded, and discovered an archive of her drawings and thoughts on scripture. A huge archive of her work was given to Eva Longley. Then war came and her husband was sent back. Eva felt God calling her to stay and preserve Lilias’ work. In 2007, Miriam Rockness edited some of Lilias’ work into “A Bloom in the Desert”. And in 2023 I discovered Lilias’ life story and song in a scripture and hymn that I hold dear. Living in the Light, Lilias became a “well-watered garden” that continues to spring forth with God’s love and light.
What does this have to do with Lent? Lent is a journey for each of us to find ourselves closer to God; to learn to live in the Light; to come to the center of God’s universe and be swaddled in the light, the love and the peace that passes all understanding.
May we each turn our eyes to Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and become well-watered gardens that flow through the years, touching the lives of those we do not know with the all-encompassing Light of Christ.
Cindi Lovejoy
