Be Thou My Vision
On a Sunday where our theme is to look at our place as people in The Big Picture of all that is, we will begin worship with the singing of Be Thou My Vision… using the words as in Together in Song 547
This prayer will follow. It is designed to speak to the traditional faith, but with encouragement to look beyond, and with encouragement for those who struggle with the traditional language of church.
We do not have high towers, O God
and the armour we must wear
is self control in the face of the temptations of David Jones.
Swords are not what we wish to carry
and yet the hymn we have sung is true:
we want to follow you
we want you to be the centre of our life…
for the times when all is well and joyful,
and for the times when we struggle through years.
You are our vision.
You are our centre.
You are the high tower of our vision
and the high tower which protects our soul…
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…
In these words is all our hope and desire
the best we have.
Amen
There are times when the vision is low,
and the flame of our pilgrimage has burned out.
Then the idea that we are seeking the God of all, the Divine,
is preposterous, and
we are mere small, grubbing, and failed human beings.
Dear God, whatever you are,
when we stand alone
with the vision of a greater world lost,
and full of regrets…
forgive our failure
our loss of vision for a better world
our petty squabbles in family
our mean abuse of others
our low taking advantage
the shrinking of our vision to our own poor self.
If God you are- whatever you are-
let us find vision again…
let us live for more than self…
let us reach for all that is good, and great, and Divine.
We pray as the people
who trust Jesus is our pioneer
and shows us the way to Life.
Amen.
Know that even when we can barely believe
there is yet a high tower.
There is a battle-shield.
God has not forgotten us.
We are still people of God.
Be at Peace.
Amen
Andrew Prior Sept 2010
