 |
| Frances Ridley Havergal 1836–1879 |
We sang it at church this morning and as it has so many times before, it guided my heart back to the place of total surrender. I will never forget the Sunday in Charlotte, NC, when we sang this hymn. I was at a crossroads, deciding whether or not to pursue doctoral studies. Verse 4 cemented my resolve. I was to give up my intellect to God's service, for him to use as he chose. Consecration included my mind.
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
I did a bit of digging online to learn more about Frances Havergal. I was surprised to discover that she, too, was a scholar. She knew Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and had memorized the books of Psalms and Isaiah, as well as most of the New Testament. She wrote over 80 hymns. I'm grateful that her most famous hymn is still around today. It's a poignant reminder of our need to give God all we have and are.
As I near graduation, we stand at another crossroads. What does God have for us next? Only he knows. It's time once again to renew our consecration to his service. A lesser-known quote from Frances Havergal expresses this consecration in other words:
Teach us, Master, how to give
All we have and are to Thee;
Grant us, Saviour, while we live,
Wholly, only Thine to be.
Thanks for Sunday Shout Out! Have NO MEMORY of that day! God is good. What's the future look like?
ReplyDelete