What is my focus?

Whom have I in heaven but You
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:25-26 (NASB)

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.” - John 8:12 (NASB)

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write so that our joy may be made complete. - 1 John 1:1-4 (NASB)

The story behind “Be Thou My Vision” begins with St. Patrick. When he was just 16 years old, pirates kidnapped Patrick and sold him into slavery in Ireland. This caused him to enter adulthood knowing the Gaelic language and Irish customs. He also became a Christian during this time. Years later, he managed to escape and return home to his family in England. While most would've stayed home forever, Patrick chose to go back to Ireland and become a missionary!
What does all this have to do with “Be Thou My Vision”? On Easter Sunday in 433, the local Irish king issued a decree in observation of a pagan Druid festival that prohibited anyone from lighting a flame or candle. Patrick, refusing to honor anyone but Christ, stood against the king.
That morning, Patrick risked his life by climbing to the tallest hill in the area and lighting a huge fire. As the ancient Irish people woke up, they could all see Patrick's defiance of the king. He could not hide his light. Patrick wanted to show the world that God’s light shines in darkness and that only He deserves praise.
Years later, an unknown composer wrote a melody in honor of Patrick's heroism. Called "Slane," the now-forgotten composer named it after the hill where Patrick shined his light: Slane Hill. People still recognize the tune today.
While the story behind the melody is legendary, the history behind the lyrics is much more obscure. Tradition tells us that an Irish poet from the 6th century named St. Dallán Forgaill wrote a Gaelic poem entitled “Rop tú mo Baile”, in honor of St. Patrick. Borrowing from another medieval poem, St. Patrick’s Breastplate, Forgaill's lyrics referred to God as his “battle shield” and “high tower," phrases that still exist in the modern version today.
But in 1905, nearly 1500 years after Saint Patrick lit a flame on Slane Hill, the forgotten hymn re-emerged from the mists of time. Mary Byrne, a 25-year-old university student, discovered the 14th-century copy of “Rop tú mo Baile" and translated it into English for the very first time.
At that moment, the now-hallowed lyrics, “Be thou my vision ... oh Lord of my heart,” sprang from the forgotten pages of time and into the modern world. Later, in 1912, an Irish woman named Eleanor Hull set the words to music. The melody she set it to was none other than "Slane," the medieval tune written in honor of St. Patrick. The hymn became famous overnight and appeared in its first hymnal in 1919. In 2019, the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of the modern version of “Be Thou My Vision”.
The story behind “Be Thou My Vision” is the story of the Gospel. In God’s timing, He took what the world ignored and made it something beautiful. As far as man was concerned, music like “Rop tú mo Baile” and “Slane” was dead — nothing more but irrelevant fragments from antiquity. But God took what was dead and made it alive again. He took what was ancient and made it new. So is “Be Thou My Vision” an old song? Yes and no. Just like he took dusty pages of lyrics and infused it with new life, He took us and our sinful flesh and infused us with His Spirit. - Pastor Stephen Angliss, The Story Behind Be Thou My Vision

What are you facing today that requires omniscient vision? Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art;
be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints - Ephesians 1:18 (NASB)

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

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! - Romans 11:33 (NASB)

Be Thou my Breastplate, my Sword for the fight;
be Thou my whole Armor, be Thou my true Might;
be Thou my soul’s Shelter, be Thou my strong Tow’r,
O raise Thou me heav’nward, great Pow’r of my pow’r.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10 (NASB)

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
be Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart,
O High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Luke 12:34 (NASB)

High King of heaven, Thou heaven's bright Sun,
O grant me its joys, after vict'ry is won;
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be Thou my Vision, O Ruler of all. - Mary Byrne / Eleanor Hull

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. - Titus 2:11-14 (NASB)

Be Encouraged to focus your vision on our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

-Jeffrey Thornton