My vision, my Lord

Everyone has their favorite hymn, I would imagine, and I'm no different. My tastes run from the very, very familiar to the modern. I love Chris Tomlin's work every bit as much as I'm moved by Charles Wesley's.

But there is something about the Irish lilt of Be Thou My Vision that simply keeps me coming back to it time and again. The music moves, the lyrics instruct and the overall impact is, well, impactful.

St. Patrick was a man zealous for the things of God. As a missionary, he defied an Irish King's edict that restricted the lighting of candles on Easter Eve. King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one was allowed light any fires until a pagan spring festival was launched by the lighting of a fire on Slane Hill. Patrick chose to honor God in spite the threat of death. King Logaire was so impressed with Patrick's brave devotion, he let him continue his missionary work unhindered. And that whole snake thing happened, but we won't go into that.

An 8th Century Monk, Dallan Forgaill penned the words to Be Thou My Vision, as a tribute to St. Patrick's wholehearted loyalty to God. Mary Bryne, in Dublin, Ireland, first translated the entire Irish folk song into English in 1905. Eleanor H. Hull converted the lyrics to "Be Thou My Vision" into verse in 1905.

That's the tale of the tale. But go deeper. Read the words again:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart ... tells me right away that the person writing this understands the sincere need to be led, which I believe is the basis for Christianity and the ingredients for a good life.
Nought be all else to me, save Thou art ...  reminds me of my need for complete dependence on a God who is my all and all (my favorite praise tune, by the way).
Thou my best thought, by day or by night ... in my good times, in my bad, He is the best I have.
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. ... in a dark, dark world, the light of the world has come.

We could go on throughout the song, lyrics blazing a newly lit trail, but you get the idea. Dependence on a God who lights the way, who knows the way, who leads the way is our Way, Truth, and Life.

On the first day of the creation of a new church, THE new church, the Apostle Peter quoted scripture from the book of Joel: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

I believe I have been sent to FUMC-Eunice to make a difference. I believe my vision for this church is from God. I further believe that the church itself has latched on to that vision and is making plans and actions that will help bring that vision out of the dreaming stage right into the reality stage.

Just as along as we remember, "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."

That's an action plan that will succeed. Him first. All else second. His the vision; ours the action.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart...