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.

I have been thinking lately of needed clarity and wisdom for my future, and wondering if God has the vision that I do. Is the vision from God that was given to me so long ago still true today? The hymn Be Thou my vision come to mind as it's history dates back to the 8th century. People back then were and are just like people today, seekers of truth, looking for God's guidance. The hymn is a prayer for God to be the true vision, the leader, the wise one in our lives. Sometimes, I find myself being easily led off the vision path by those who really care about me thinking that they are protecting me from further harm, but if God is the vision and the Lord of my heart, will God not protect me as well?

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.

If trust is part of the answer that I look for, then I need to trust that I am right where I am supposed to be right now amidst all the sorrow and the suffering, but still on the path.

God is ever with me, even when I cannot see that. If I stay with God, the vision will still come true. God does have a home within me as the Holy Spirit lives in me and through me. Living through the fear even if I feel unsafe is okay when I know that God feels it too.

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.

There are times when I must speak out. There is something in me that God demands that I speak of injustice and stand up for those who cannot speak. My history explains that to me. God uses me in ways to speak with gentleness to hardened hearts. I cannot do that at all on my own, it's impossible. Yet, as the Bible say, all things are possible with God. God gives me the power to say the things that I have to, sometimes I do it very well, sometimes not so well, but always with the power of God behind my words. It is part of the vision, to be a voice for the weak and helpless as I was, to be a voice for the marginalized as I was, and to be a voice for the poor in spirit as I was. It is not a safe path, one I can only go on together with God.

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.

The vision has never been about trophies, honor, awards, money. It's been about helping those who cannot help themselves. God's mission for me is a quiet one, one that does not elevate me, but it takes me down to depths of my soul. This journey that I have been on has been one of suffering like those who God wants me to help. To be God's hands and voice in this world, then I had to suffer like Jesus so I would know that the pain was very real, and that Jesus did indeed feel abandoned on that cross.

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.

The victory has been won by Jesus on the Cross and my victory over the past 2 years of "living hell" is one that I will cherish forever. God is still my vision and my wisdom. The clarity that I search for has been right in front of me all along.

Stay on the path no matter which way it goes, stay strong, be courageous, for Jesus is with me all the way.

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.