Time-Bound and Short-Sighted, We Need God to be Our Vision

I discovered Be Thou My Vision, the classic hymn, when I was in my twenties during a season when my own vision was clouded by uncertainty about the future and lack of clarity about my calling. It was a beautiful and poetic way for me to howl, “Show me, LORD! What is true? What is next?”

Translated into English from Irish in 1905, it’s an expression of the need common to all mortals. We need God to be our vision because our own is so faulty, so limited, and so subject to all the vagaries and vicissitudes that accompany our fallenness.

Be My Vision, Lord!

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 eyes are on the Lord, my priorities are aligned with reality.
When I’m looking at the world he made with his line of sight, he will be my light.
I will be equipped to fulfill my own calling to be light in this dark world.

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

God’s vision is unclouded by sin and unhindered by weakness.
His wisdom is the standard by which truth is measured, so in my teaching, writing, and even in my praying, I am safest when my words come from the true Word.

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.”

My vision is time-bound. It is limited to what I myself have experienced.

I am subject to the fallacies that ride shotgun with chronological snobbery, the idea that present-day thinkers are more enlightened than people in the past. God is the only being who can say, “I am,” for he is unchanging, “now and always.” Let him be first in your heart. Let him be your vision.

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Enjoy listening to Be Thou My Vision as you think about all the ways God accompanies you and enriches your view of the world, your circumstances, and your fellow travelers.

And what’s your most inspiring hymn?

#BeThouMyVision is an expression of the need common to all mortals. We need God to be our vision because our own is so faulty, so limited, and so subject to all the vagaries and vicissitudes that accompany our fallenness. #classichymn

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And Now, Let’s Talk Books

There’s something incredibly metaphorical about an unfinished work written by a woman whose life was cut short, who was herself a work-in-progress with many unfinished thoughts about topics that are front and center in 2024. O’Connor was a product of her time and an heir to the legacy of Southern segregation.

Her journaled prayer, “Please help me to get down under things and find where you are,” reveals a heart that was willing to tackle the big questions. In this behind-the-scenes look at her unfinished manuscript with characters left dangling and a plot left unresolved, we’re given the opportunity to wonder about our own short-sightedness and the reality of our limited, time-bound vision.

Holding You in the Light,

With her behind-the-scenes look at #FlanneryOConnor’s unfinished novel, Jessica @HootenWilson serves the work and the worker with skill and respect. @BrazosPress

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Looking for Challenging Devotional Reading that Encourages You to Seek Intimacy with God Every Day?

As you know, I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path. At Living Our Days, I provide biblical content and resources to encourage biblical literacy and faithful living, and now I’m sharing devotional content on the YouVersion app. Visit my profile page to get free access to the reading plans!

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On the third Thursday of every month, I send a newsletter with biblical encouragement straight to my subscribers’ email inboxes. Frequently, I share free resources, and the newsletter is where everything lands first. I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and I want to help you along that path.

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Many thanks to Brazos Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.