The Importance of Making God our Vision as Fathers

Whenever I get the opportunity to speak to a group, I’m humbled and challenged. The preparation is usually a spiritual battle unto itself, not to mention the delivery. Last week, I shared a message with a group of high school students, and as I put my thoughts together, I learned how far I fall short of living up to it. Making God my vision as a father has, and continues to be, a lifelong journey.

To enhance (and complicate) the situation, my two oldest sons were in the audience. I am keenly aware of how keenly aware of my faults they are. So, teaching while they’re among the listeners presents a unique challenge. I don’t do it because I’ve mastered it; I do it in spite of the fact that I haven’t.

You can listen to the 30-minute talk here.

The event coordinator asked me to teach on the topics raised in the hymn, “Be Thou My Vision.” It’s a powerful, rich piece that will challenge you. It will ask you to not only let God be the lens through which you view the world; but, it asks you to make God the object on which you focus. Not only how you see but what you see.

As a father who wants to encourage my boys to follow God with all their heart, I realize that what I let be my vision will influence them. I want to have “godly glasses” so that I see this world the way God does. I want to rightly interpret things like truth, relationships, and God’s Word.

Specifically, I want to have God be my vision as I focus on:

His Son, Jesus Christ – Hebrews 1:1-5 says that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of Gods nature. If I’m to have God be my vision, that starts with His Son.
His Word, the Bible – Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. God doesn’t want me to walk in darkness, His Word can illuminate my way.
His Holy Spirit, my guide – John 16:13 tells us the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. Even Jesus said we’re better off if He leaves and the Holy Spirit comes!

As I wage the battle to have God be my vision, one key stumbling block is pride. I want to be loved, praised, and adored. By my family, friend, coworkers, random people in the mall. I love a pat on the back and a compliment.

One line in the hymn says, “Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise.” Man’s empty praise. Hmm.

If that’s too obtuse for you, consider how it was said by another famous hymn writer, Huey Lewis. He said, “Don’t need money, don’t take fame. Don’t need no credit card to ride this train. It’s strong and it’s sudden and it’s cruel sometimes. But it might just save your life… that’s the power of love.”

Yes, it’s quite a jump from Be Thou My Vision to 80’s rock. I know. But, doesn’t that tell us something? Even the world recognizes that there’s a pull, a magnetism, to these empty trinkets of money, fame, and the praise of man. We’ve recognized it for hundreds of years.

If we fathers want to set a good example for our family, let us join the hymn writer and ask God to be our vision. Let’s help our sons and daughters see truth by seeing God out their front window.

It might just save their life.