Vision

This morning in church, we were singing the hymn, "Be Thou My Vision," I was struck by just how counter-cultural these words truly are.  This isn't about God affirming our hopes and dreams, this is about us turning and tuning our lives toward God.  The very first line is a petition for us to let go of individualistic ideas that are only and all about us.  Let these words linger in your life:

"Be now my vision, O God of my heart:
nothing surpasses the love you impart.
You my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Your presence my light."

Sounds exactly like something you'd hear in church.  But when you consider the commercials that we are surrounded by every single day that tell us we need to have it our way and right now!  To suggest that God's vision could surpass our vision challenges many of us to our core.

The second verse also challenges us:

"Be now my wisdom, and be my true word;
Ever within me, my soul is assured;
Mother and Father, You are both to me,
Now and forever Your child I will be"

God is our wisdom and word.  Again, something we are used to hearing in church, but how do we live this?  I don't think there is some one-size-fits-all prescription you can just apply to your life.  I think it can come from listening intentionally, sitting in silence, breathing and being.  Or it comes from listening to hymns not just for the melody but for the words that can challenge and change us.  Let these two verses sit in your life.

Is there a vision God has that is strangely warming your heart?  How can you align your life with the love of God that is found within your life?  Is God your best thought?  How might this help your soul feel assured?

There is no one answer to these...but to live the questions and let them sit on simmer ~ may there be more than a trace of God's grace as these stir and swirl in your life.

Blessings ~~