Living Waters - Lenten Devotional 2020
Thursday, February 27 - Sally Keister
Ephesians 6: 16-17 “With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Like most people, music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Within the church, the hymns we sing each week are probably the music to which we all have the strongest lifelong connection. Ask anyone and they can usually instantly tell you the name of their favorite hymn. For me it is “Be Thou My Vision”. I first came to love this hymn tune as a young adult. My love for the lyrics came later in my life. It became my Living Water.
Following the graveside service, the day of my Dad’s funeral, I was walking toward the church where I grew up when the carillon in the steeple began to play. I wasn’t really paying attention until a few notes into the song I realized it was “Be Thou My Vision”. I stopped, my head snapped up and I soaked up the notes. What comfort I felt flowing through me!
As time went on, I heard that hymn played or sung many times. Often, it was during times of stress or sadness and even joy. Times when I found I needed to keep my focus on God and trust Him. Just hearing it during a Sunday morning worship serves to remind me where I need to keep my thoughts.
“Light of my soul, after 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”
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, May the living waters you pour out on us daily flow from us to serve others. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.
Ephesians 6: 16-17 “With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Like most people, music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Within the church, the hymns we sing each week are probably the music to which we all have the strongest lifelong connection. Ask anyone and they can usually instantly tell you the name of their favorite hymn. For me it is “Be Thou My Vision”. I first came to love this hymn tune as a young adult. My love for the lyrics came later in my life. It became my Living Water.
Following the graveside service, the day of my Dad’s funeral, I was walking toward the church where I grew up when the carillon in the steeple began to play. I wasn’t really paying attention until a few notes into the song I realized it was “Be Thou My Vision”. I stopped, my head snapped up and I soaked up the notes. What comfort I felt flowing through me!
As time went on, I heard that hymn played or sung many times. Often, it was during times of stress or sadness and even joy. Times when I found I needed to keep my focus on God and trust Him. Just hearing it during a Sunday morning worship serves to remind me where I need to keep my thoughts.
“Light of my soul, after 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”
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, May the living waters you pour out on us daily flow from us to serve others. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.