LBW 406, “Take My Life, That I May Be”
Devotion
Today we commemorate Martin, bishop of Tours, and teacher Sųren A. Kierkegaard. What do these two men have in common?
Born to pagan parents, Martin, like his father before him, became a Roman legionnaire. Influenced by Christians in Gaul, he was baptized and resigned from the military to be ordained. Late in life he was named Bishop of Tours, where he served until his death.
Kierkegaard was born to Danish Lutherans and learned about guilt from a father who cursed God. Through his reading and study of scripture, he eventually reconciled with his father. Until his death he wrote volumes about modern existentialism and Christian theology.
The hymn, “Take My Life, that I May Be,” by Frances Ridley Havergal, proclaims that we have a common baptismal calling to use our gifts to glorify Christ and humbly help our neighbors. In the hymn’s six verses, there is no distinction mentioned. We are saved to serve.
Prayer
Father, you come down to earth to meet us where we are and to send us into our world to serve. Help us to listen to our baptismal calling to serve others with our gifts just as your Son served us. Amen.