Worship Ministry - August 2023
Rop tú mo baile
Twelve hundred years ago, an Irishman penned the poem “Rop tú mo baile” in a language neither you nor I could read or understand, seeking God’s protection and wisdom. This man probably didn’t think that hundreds of years later, in 1905, Mary Elizabeth Byrne would take his poem and translate it into English. I’m sure he didn’t have in mind that a few years after that, a lady named Eleanor Hull would then set that English translation to a melody and give us the hymn “Be Thou My Vision.” Yet, God used the faithfulness of that Irishman to speak to future generations and encourage them to seek God.
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, and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one
Riches I heed not, nor vain, 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
As we have been going through Psalm 119, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness. God sustains and satisfies. God is a provider and comforter. God is present in our lives and He is faithful to the end. This wasn’t just true for the psalmist who penned Psalm 119, nor is it only true for us reading it today, but was true to the 8th century Irishman who was seeking the presence of God. This is true for all generations!
“Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.” Psalm 119:90
It is easy for us to be burdened with the trials of the world around us, and struggles we have in our own lives, and for that to cause us to forget God’s faithfulness. We think we are the first and only to ever have experienced this situation, this sin, or this hurt. We forget the millions that have gone before us, who experienced the same hurt we have, similar burdens we have carried, and completely different heartache; and yet the testimony of God’s faithfulness and the Good News of Jesus Christ continues to bring salvation to the world.
This doesn’t mean that all our hurt magically goes away, but it should offer us hope. A hope that we aren’t facing this world alone, but are surrounded by other Christ followers. A thankfulness that God has given us great examples of men and women throughout scripture who have endured at great cost for the cause of Christ, and we can look to them in our time of need. A hope in the strength of God and that He will be with us till the end of our days.
“Whatever befall(s)” us in our life, whatever hurt, whatever pain we are enduring, may we still seek the vision and wisdom of God. May we desire God and His righteousness above all, knowing He is worth it all.
I love you and mean it!
Lyric of the Month
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.