Be Thou
My Vision
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Therefore,
since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders us
and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1
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This is a daily devotional
book--366 days--based on sentiments from great hymns.
Each day's reading contains a few lines from a hymn and a
few paragraphs of my reflections on those lines, or a
thought they engender. It's a great way to let voices of
faith speak to us from across the cultural barriers of
time. Many of these sentiments I found I was thirsty for,
since so much of our current worship is so culturally
oriented. I read these myself, often. It was a rich
experience to uncover and create. I ran out of days
before I ran out of ideas.
a
sample day - June 23
From Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee by Henry Van
Dyke
ANIMATION
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Blossoming meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,
Call us to rejoice in Thee.
What an invitation! Who could refuse such a
thing?
It is a recurring theme in scripture and in the
hymns that creation knows its Creator. The
Psalmist tells us that the mountains break forth
into singing and all the trees clap their hands.
Day to day the earth is chattering about the
glory of God, and night to night reveals who he
is. Jesus told the Pharisees that the rocks could
be expected to cry out if the children were
hindered in their praise of him. Paul tells us
that all creation is presently groaning under the
weight of our fallen nature since it has been
subject to the consequences of our sin. In other
words, the Word of God animates creation. I have
been in the presence of a grove of redwoods and
felt wisdom bearing down on me. And I have been
thrown around by the heavy surf and felt its
punishment. And I have stood on a mountain top
and felt the strong wind blow so hard I could
lean into it and trust it to hold me. And though
I was too far away to hear them, I did once see a
hillside of golden aspen trees applauding
something.
Doesn't all this commotion make you want to join
in? |
for whom
Those who want help transcending culture to get to
timeless truths. A way to hear from someone out of that
"great cloud of witnesses" on a daily basis.
endorsements
"Never before has anyone so appreciated the richness
of the hymn legacy in written form. John has reminded us
of a treasure, not buried in a field, but in a forgotten
pile in the back of many of our sanctuaries. He has drawn
a line in the sand before all those who would discard one
of our most valuable spiritual resources . . . I really
do believe it will be an important resource, and I hope
it will be a powerful wake-up call for the church."
Michael Card
"John
Fischer's devotional, Be Thou My Vision, takes
us into the heart of the great hymns. The beautiful
texts--which are so often sung without comprehension--now
come alive as Fischer illustrates their truths. This is a
devotional that might have been written by the
hymnwriters themselves!"
Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh
quotes
from reviews
"Be prepared for this one to be checked out for 366
days at a time!"
Lutheran Libraries, Summer 1996
"In
reading, one senses Fischer's own discovery, his own awe
at how firm a foundation the hymns of the faith have
proven to be. . . This book will change forever the way
one looks at hymns, and it presents within its pages the
potential to change the way we look at God, the way we
look at ourselves."
Worship Leader, September/October 1996
"These
eloquent reminders of the character of God make a rich
devotional resource."
Christian Retailing, September 1995
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