“Jesus is the lens through which everything comes into focus.” (Jesus: A Theography)
What vision do we have for ourselves? Who do we see ourselves to be? Vision is one those things in life that I believe we take for granted and maybe don’t think about as much as someone that doesn’t have sight or a vision of who they are. I tell the students at St. Philip’s United Methodist Church (where I serve as Director of Student Ministries) all the time that in order for us to love our neighbor we need to love ourselves first.
“Don’t be with someone that doesn’t want to be with you.”
The way that I have seen this apply in our lives is in our relationships. We were made to be in relationships, we need to have relationships because it is a part of who we are and who God made us to be. Sometimes however in the desire to have relationships we tend to forget who we are and focus on the desire alone. My Papaw said the above quote to me several times in my life, and I always thought it was a deep truth about ourselves.
Have you ever wanted someone that didn’t want you?
I am sure if we have not been there we can relate. This question is never brought up in our relationship with God. He always wants us. He sees us for who He made us to be. The problem we get into is when we don’t see the same thing that God does. We pray that God’s vision would our vision so that we can see what He sees and once we see that it redefine everything that we see.
So this day as we think about vision I pray that the follow words of a great hymn, Be Thou Vision would be our prayer for today and forever.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
