Be Thou My Vision

I will have to be honest that I clicked on this book for review via downloadable pdf format before I read the full title. I was drawn to the book by the beautiful cover and the title, be thou my vision. I knew I might disagree with the use of liturgy as well as denominational views held by Jonathan Gibson. Liturgy according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary means - a eucharistic rite, a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship, a customary repertoire of ideas, phrases, or observances. Many denominations such as Catholics, Lutherans and many others set their services around the use liturgy. I am by no means here to judge denominations. There are many parts of this book that I think are great. I attend a Calvinistic Bible based church. My children from a very young age started learning the Westminster Shorter Catechism. We do start our service with Doxology. Okay, back to the book. 

 To Start, I think that it would be helpful

for you the reader to read through the 

structural formant of the Daily Worship.

This will give you great insight into how this

31 day daily worship devotional works. 

We know that throughout the Bible we are taught how to pray. "Pray continually." I Thessalonians 5:17, "Do not use vain repetition." Matthew 6:7. Now of course there is useful repetition such as when young children are learning their catechism, or when praying we thank God for His grace, mercy, patience, sending His Son so that I many have forgiveness of sin. So to an extent some repetition grows our faith, helps us learn, brings us closer to the Lord. What one needs to be careful about is mindless repetition that can easily happen with liturgy. When one has grown up in the church and has memorized the denominational liturgy and weekly find themselves merely saying the words as if reciting a poem back in your literature class in high school. This is a red flag a warning! In my opinion, a daily devotional would consist of reading a short scripture passage, a very short written devotional that would tie into the scripture, maybe a thought provoking question, possibly a Bible verse to meditate on for the day, followed by personal quiet time in prayer. The set-up laid out in this book is rigid, formal, filled with too much liturgy, and way too long. Of course, these are just my thoughts and opinions. 

I would like to add that Jonathan Gibson wrote this devotional during the Covid-19 Lockdowns. He said, "It inspired me to think about how I might structure my own personal or family devotions more like a mini church service, with elements of a call to wor- ship, adoration, confession, assurance, creed and catechism, Gloria Patri, prayer of illumination, Bible reading, intercessory prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer." I applaud Jonathan for seeing a need within his walk with the Lord, his desire to ensure that his family remain in God's Word, and ultimately reach the world with something tangible in writing and publishing, be thou my vision. Even though this book was not the right fit for me, I am sure that many will be blessed beyond measure by the words found between the pages of this beautiful book.