“Waking and sleeping, Thy Presence my Light” (Be Thou My Vision) An old Irish Hymn translated to English by Mary E Byrne, 1905; (1880-1931).

There is a tremendous comfort to the soul that knows the Presence of the Lord and understands the Light He brings to us in all our joys, sorrows, fears and triumphs we may experience in life. The Psalmist, David, declared:

“The Lord is my Light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Psalm 27:1).

It is the Presence of the Lord that brings “fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11b).

If we desire to see a clear path forward in our lives, it is the Presence of the Lord that will shine His Light upon that path, so we can proceed in safety, and see the way ahead. The Presence of the Lord surrounds us as we go and guides us into the Truth. As the hymn writer declares:

“Waking and Sleeping, Thy Presence my Light”.

At night we can lay down in peace in His Presence and awake in His Presence at daybreak. Waking or sleeping His Presence is our Light to guide, to inspire, to give revelation into His Word, to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom, to discern, to speak with wisdom, to fill our lives with peace, joy, love, to witness to our hearts His Divine Will, to know and understand the purposes of God for every occasion, to show forth His glory. Then even at death, we can lay down in rest to awake to the Light of His Presence forever.

King David cried, “Cast me not away from Thy Presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). He cried so because he knew that without the Presence of God and apart from the Holy Spirit, he would dwell in darkness; but with His Presence he would continue to dwell in His Light of life.

Jude, the Brother of Jesus, wrote in his Epistle:

“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the Presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

Beloved, seek His Presence daily, night and day, moment by moment, ever and always in His Presence, your Light. If you do, you will never walk in darkness, but have “the Light of Life”.

“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying: ‘I am the Light of the World; he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life'” (John 8:12).

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart. Be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art. Be Thou my best thought in day and the night; both waking and sleeping, Thy Presence, my Light.

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