Be Thou Our 2020 Vision
And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:29-34
Luke includes this:
“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:41-43
Devotional—Lord, Let Our Eyes Be Open
What a perfect year to pray for perfect vision—2020(!)—to keep our eyes, and ears, on Jesus and see clearly God’s will. And what a perfect passage to pray “Lord, let our eyes be opened!”
How different things would have been if these two men on the Jericho roadside had listened to the crowd, “’Be quiet!’ the crowd yelled out at them” (Matthew 20:31, NLT). Instead of caving to the shushes, ridicule, and disdain, these two blind men doubled down, shouted louder, and cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
Perhaps the inability to see the derisive and elitist looks from the crowd helped their resolve. But one thing is for sure—these two men would not let the darkness of this world prevent them from escaping the darkness of their world.
These two blind men wanted to see. By faith, they believed that only Jesus could perform such a miracle. If they had fallen victim to the scare tactics of the mob, they would still be entombed in Scripture, sitting by the roadside on the way to Jericho. And still blind! Much like the rich, young ruler who still has his head down, still walking away from Jesus today.
Oh what a difference it makes when we don’t cow to those who think they know the proper way everyone else should act.
Two shouting blind men ignored a large crowd shouting back at them. Believing what they had heard about Jesus, they drowned out the incessant and accusatory noise. In their mind and hearts, they had determined to deal directly with Jesus.
Look at the results. They were touched by God incarnate! Jesus restored their vision. After taking their first stand, they stood a second time and followed Jesus. Their faith had literally become sight! And this courageous and reckless faith brought praise and glory to God—an outcome all Jesus followers should seek.
Quite frankly, Pray America Great Again refuses to be intimidated by the verbal assaults on Christians from leftist TV pundits, university professors, atheists, Hollywood, or Democrat politicians. We’re taking our cue from two unnamed blind men and doubling down on Jesus. Likewise, PAGA will not be intimidated by those disguised as servants of righteousness, i.e. Pete Buttigieg, the Christianity Today editor, those who are intolerant of policy differences, or those who label themselves, oxymoronically, “progressive Christians.”
Life is too short to be concerned about seeking approval from any “crowd.” Likewise, life is too fleeting to be intimidated into silence and inaction by what the same “crowd” demands.
Amid the clamor of mobs, masses, and multitudes, determine to deal with Jesus directly. No one can dictate your walk with Jesus Christ. Stand firm. Stay awake. Be alert.
Prayer: Be Thou Our Vision In 2020
Lord, let us, all American Christians—Evangelicals, Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Red, Yellow, Black, White—recover our sight! Jesus, we want to see! Help us to discern Your truth in all things. Give us insight and wisdom, strength and courage, boldness and confidence, love and compassion.
Purify and clarify our resolve, decision-making, and vision.
Embolden us to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ through word and deed.
O Lord, You sent the world a Savior and it’s about time Your people stand up and start showing the world that You are God with us; that we are in Your presence, the God Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t exist (Romans 4:17). All things are possible with You (Matthew 19:26).
And Lord, You know there will be push-back from every side. Your people need Your help to double down, ignore the mobs, ignore the verbal attacks, ignore whatever else satan may throw our way, and shout all the louder because we choose to deal directly with Jesus.
We want to see! We want our vision restored! Send a fresh anointing of Your Spirit to empower us to rise above the fray and keep our eyes on the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
Bless Your people who are called by Your Name, Jews and Christians, in order that we may be a blessing “to all the people. And when they see it, may they praise our wonderful God” (Luke 18:43). May the whole world praise Your Name Jesus. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever (Revelation 7:12)!
Christ healing the blind men on the road to Jericho. Painting from Pieter Norbert van Reysschoot (1738 – 1795) in St. Peters Church on June 23, 2012 in Gent, Belgium.
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.
Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r:
raise thou me heav’n-ward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
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 heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
In the Name of Jesus Christ Who Heals Our Vision, Amen.
Kudos to the artist of this stained glass for simultaneously capturing hope and total surrender in the blind man’s face.
About The Hymn Be Thou My Vision
Due to the evangelical work of St. Patrick in Ireland during the early 5th century, the deep roots of Celtic Christianity endured the test of time. Several centuries after Patrick, the Irish church was still producing hymns, prayers, sermons, and songs of worship.
Two traditions surround the poem that became the Be Thou My Vision hymn lyrics.
The first, historically speaking, says that a 6th century monk named Dallan Forgaill wrote the Irish poem, “Rop tú mo Baile” (“Be Thou my Vision), to remember and honor the faith of St. Patrick. Forgaill was martyred by pirates, but his poetry lived on as a part of the Irish monastic tradition.
The second tradition attributes the lyrics to an 8th century, unknown, Irish poet who experienced blindness later in life. The poet wrote a prayer asking God to be his Vision, his Wisdom, and his Best Thought by day or night.
In 1905, Mary Elizabeth Byrne, a scholar in Dublin, Ireland, translated this ancient Irish poem into English. Another scholar, Eleanor Hull of Manchester, England, took Byrne’s translation and crafted it into verses with rhyme and meter. Shortly thereafter it was set to a traditional Irish folk song, “Slane.” Named for an area in Ireland where Patrick reportedly challenged local Druids (the superstitious opposition) with the gospel (Morgan, 5).
What a fitting hymn to pray asking the Lord to let our eyes be open.
Resources
Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003).
