Vision: the act or power of seeing

Vision: the act or power of seeing; An aspirational description of what an organization or person would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term future. It is intended to serves as a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action.


I've been contemplating all week which hymn to choose from so many deep and excellent choices. Two stuck out to me, but as the Lord spoke to me one night while I was lying in bed, Be Thou My Vision won out. Vision can mean two things: an aspirational description or statement intended to serve as a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action...hmm. Yes. Be Thou my Vision - the ONE Thing that is the clearest of guides to all I choose, all I say, all I pursue both now and forevermore.

And then, the most common definition is the act or power of seeing, and this is what God spoke to me about, opened my eyes to see: Whatever a person looks at - sets his gaze upon - that is what the heart magnifies.  And conversely, whatever the heart sets itself/its gaze upon, this the vision magnifies.  Have you ever noticed that when your heart is drawn after something, you begin to see it or see how it could fit into or relate to many other aspects of life? Over the past Fall my attention has been drawn toward the Creation worldview and I have come to see how everything I believe and all I do, the way I talk and live my life is based upon this foundation (but more on that another time). Remember back to when you first saw or took real notice of your spouse or that boy, your heart began to magnify him - think bigger of him, be consumed by him.  That is the power of vision - it shifts things in your heart and in your life.  (O, be careful little eyes what you see!)

             Be Thou My Vision

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.

     When my vision is set on You, You take Lordship, You rule over my heart, my affection and become that Thing which draws my attention, all other things become small, lesser things compared to This One Consuming Passion. Thy presence my Light...and what is light but that which makes vision possible.  The Light of His Presence breaking into my life grants me the vision to fix my gaze upon Him, and all else compared is a lesser light or no light at all.

     One might also take this to say that we need God's view or vision of things.  Let me see things as You see them.  Give light to my eyes that I see not in the flesh but in the Spirit.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

     The world and all around us shouts loudly in our ears every day.  There are a million things to pull at our thoughts and direct our minds.  How we need His wisdom and the knowledge of what He speaks over us - letting our son-ship, His Fatherhood shape what I believe about myself and the world around me...and the truth that the GOD OF ALL THE EARTH has come not just to dwell with man but in man, that is in me!!! Astounding.  Earth shattering.  Life-changing.  

     I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord reminds me of Joshua, preparing to take the Promise Land - he has a vision of Jesus dressed for battle and Joshua asks, "Whose side are you on?"  And God says essentially, "I'm on the side of the Armies of Heaven."  As if to say, I well know my purposes and will be with those who are with Me."  As we choose Christ, He chooses us and then, wonder of wonders, mysteries of all unbelievable mysteries - we become ONE!  And I am undone at the very thought. Hungry for that to be evident, manifest in my life.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

     He who consumes my vision has become my All in ALL.  My offense and my defense, that which lifts up my head, giving me joy and delight when fears or failures might otherwise consume me.  I can hide away in Him, be raised up by Him, go forth and fight in victory through Him, and understand or glimpse my eternal purpose for Him.  Nothing of myself but all of Him, my One Vision.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

     When He consumes the Vision and Heart and is found to be all in all, everything else is as nothing compared to This VERY GREAT Reward.  Abraham saw it,  Moses was driven by it, Mary experienced it deep in her heart. When we embrace and pursue Him as this Pearl of Great price, the kingdom expands through us, He can use us then, for we have begun to glimpse His great worth. 

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

     I am so thankful to know the end of the story.  The end of my story - Him, seeing the High King of Heaven - my vision being once and for all time consumed perfectly with my Highest Joy. Let come what may, He has already written the end of my story and edited every page in between with His grace and mercy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lczmaRem3w4

The story behind the hymn:

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-be-thou-my-vision

https://www.sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/be-thou-my-vision