Be Our Vision

Devotional Scripture

Psalm 8
1 O LORD, our Lord,
       how majestic is your name in all the earth!
       You have set your glory
       above the heavens.
 2 From the lips of children and infants 
       you have ordained praise
       because of your enemies, 
       to silence the foe and the avenger.
 3 When I consider your heavens, 
       the work of your fingers, 
       the moon and the stars, 
       which you have set in place,
 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, 
       the son of man that you care for him?

Isaiah 6
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
       "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
       the whole earth is full of his glory."

Praying through the Lyrics

Be Thou my vision O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always (through all my days)
Thou and Thou only the first in my heart
High King of heaven my treasure Thou art
(Be Thou My Vision; Irish Poem, 700)

See from His head His hands His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all
(When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Isaacs Watts, 1707)


Response

The lyrics from “Be Thou My Vision” written so long ago tells of a heart that is fully devoted to Christ. The author, like the author of Ecclesiastes, understands that he cannot find meaning in riches or the praise of others. These things can become our identity and we can place our hope in them, but we are called to find our identity in the cross of Christ and He is our hope of glory.

What things do I put my hope in?
What does it mean to find my identity in Christ?

Philippians 1:20-21
20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Colossians 1:27 
27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.