Lord, be my Vision!

So many times we get caught up in the various trials of life and get bogged down by circumstances and people and devils and what-not. So much so that we forget the purpose of our lives. We get so busy trying to be happy and at peace that we neglect to do the one thing that would bring us peace and happiness.

The past few weeks had been bad for me, a bit depressing. Made me think about a lot of things, about where exactly my life was headed. I was going around in circles inside my head, my heart heavier with each progressing circle and my mind more depressed and anxious.

Then I stumbled upon this great hymn on the Net. It made me realize how far I had wandered. My vision had been live for the Living God and if He thinks me worthy, to die for Him. But I had started living for myself. Thinking more of the one I love than The One who truly loves me, The One who IS Love, The One who deserves my first allegiance above all else.

This hymn brought me comfort and strength by helping to get things back into perspective.

The purpose of our lives is the glory of God, not the pursuit of personal happiness! Pursuing anything or anyone more than the Kingdom of God will only lead to despair and pain. For without Him, all the world is but dry dust, but with Him, even the dry desert flows with springs of cool water and blossoms as the rose!

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. But what right have we to complain when he has given Himself to us and will never take away the only thing that really matters in this universe- His very Presence!

When we strive after things he has given us, material things, relationships, etc more than striving after Him we are bound to get hurt because we are no longer living the purpose of our lives.

As the verse in this blog's heading says, no soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. Oh Lord! Grant us the grace not get sidetracked. You be our vision, our reason to live! For You know what we need and You give us freely all that is needed.

Now, about this hymn....

It's called 'Be Thou my Vision'. This is an Irish hymn , about 1200 years old. Some say it was written by the great evangelist, St. Patrick himself.

The Youtube link for one of the versions of this hymn is :-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G70IhjDOuu8&feature=related

Or a link for my favourite version of the song is:-
http://www.songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/be-thou-my-vision
This is the complete song, most others usually drop the 3rd verse. To listen to the song, pls just click on 'mp3' or 'Real Audio'.

The lyrics are :-

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.

Indeed Lord, be thou our vision always that we may not stray from the path that we are to walk.

Glory to the God who died and now is risen and reigns forever. Amen!

(Note:- 'High King' was the title of the chief of all the kings of all the tribes in ancient Ireland. So when an Irish hymn refers to God as the High King, it means something like the 'King of kings', the greatest Ruler)