Take My Life That I May Be (ELW 685)
Devotion
1 Take my life, that I may be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 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.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect and use
ev'ry pow'r as thou shall choose.
5 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.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879, alt.
This August I got to attend the ELCA Churchwide Assembly with my 10-month-old son. He participated joyfully in the assembly by clapping, waving at everyone, and making new friends. He couldn't contribute to the offering plate, to the conversation at the microphones, or to the business we conducted. Instead, he offered all of who he is — a baby, full of babbles, smiles, slobber, crying, and naps.
This song tells the story of how we give all of who we are to God — hearts, hands, voices, and lives. This song is a story of how God uses and multiplies our gifts, no matter whether they are slobbery high-fives from babies or multimillion-dollar bequests. The gifts we offer are important to God — and they make a difference in the life of this church.
Prayer
God, we offer all of who we are to your church and to your people. Help us to recognize, grow, and share our gifts with the world that needs them. In Jesus' name. Amen.