Pastor Ken
During a recent Sunday service, the congregation sang “Be Thou My Vision.” It brought back memories of my first year in the seminary 40 years ago. The hymn was the theme song of that year. I recall someone just donated a harmonium to the seminary. Among the students, I was the only one playing the pipe organ. Naturally, I became the organist in the morning service. After playing this piece many times, it became one of my favorite hymns.
The hymn is from Ireland. The lyrics date back to the 14th century, commemorating Saint Patrick’s dedication to his faith. The word vision usually refers to the future we yearn for. It’s the dream come true.
When we were young, we all hoped to study hard, work hard, and become successful. Although studying in a seminary and preparing to be a pastor in the church is not for personal gain and glory, I still dreamed to build a successful church. Such a church would mean lots of people, money, and activities, and be able to bring the gospel and blessings to the world.
The beauty of the lyrics lies in how the vision is redefined. The vision is not the result of our hard work. It’s not about the great things we have done, or how many people we have preached to. It’s not about how magnificent the church building is, or how extensive the church organization is. God is the vision. The vision is to establish an intimate relationship with God and let God be “the Lord of my heart, my thought, my wisdom, my word, and always the first in my heart.”
During the past forty years, many times, I felt a lack of self-confidence and cared about how others viewed me. In most Christian churches, the pastor is the one in charge. When the activities are well attended, coworkers work well together, and everyone lives in harmony, people will praise the pastor for his leadership. If something goes wrong, and conflicts rise among the staff, the pastor is always the first one to be blamed. When the Bible study group attendance drops or someone is leaving the church, it must be the pastor’s fault. Worrying about gains and losses often leads to mental stress for many pastors. This hymn reminds me that I am not the master of my life, and God is. As long as I am faithful and try my best, I don’t need to worry about what people think.
Another line also had an immense impact on me. “Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise. Thou mine inheritance, now and always.” When I was in the seminary, I never thought about what kind of people I would be pastoring in the future. After I served in the church, I learned some people in my congregation owned mansions, and one was a world-class professor. I probably would not reach that sort of status in my lifetime. However, the thought of “it’s not bad to have…” flashed across my mind from time to time. That was my envy. The lyrics remind me to take God as my inheritance, and I don’t need anything else.
Looking back on the fleeting years, this hymn has served as my reminder, comfort, and teacher so many times. It has helped me to grow spiritually. It has become my life experience too. The message is current today. With God as the Lord of life, I lack nothing. My prayer to God is, “Continue to be my vision, O ruler of all.”
(“Be Thou my Vision” can be found on the Internet.)
