Be Thou My Vision...

“Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart...I want to see you.” The lyrics of a contemporary praise song seem basic enough, genuine enough, straightforward enough. I need to see Jesus. Furthermore I need to see Him praised, glorified and claiming the rightful spot in the world and my life. A simple cry, a meaningful plea “Open the eyes of my heart...I want to see you.”

So why is it I feel as if the proverbial eyes of my pleading heart are indeed open...but yet I do not see?

I know what it feels like to have my eyes open...they certainly are. And I know I’ve seen before...blindness seems highly unlikely. Why is it my open eyes are still searching through what seems to be a cloudy mixture of dark fog?

Unless of course something is in front of my eyes...

Unless of course something is getting in the way of clear sight.

My grandmother...a few years before she died...had cataract surgery. A hard coating had developed over her eyes – making her unable to see although her vision had never before been extensively deficient. It was necessary for a skilled eye surgeon to go in with a special precision tool and break these clouded lenses of her eyes. When the cataracts were gone then, finally, my grandma could see like never before.

And here I am wondering if my lack of sight, my inability to exalt the God I love is related to my own heart cataracts. If I’ve let life harden over the eyes which used to so freely seek out my Saviour in everyday life. To see Jesus was breathing...He was in everything. He was everything. And I am desperate for these eyes which are open – with a heart begging to glorify – to see like never before. Father, come and chip away all that keeps me from seeing you.


“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.
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.”