How Sweet the SoundNäide

Take My Life and Let it Be

Thanking God, sounds like a great thing, until we have an argument, get a pounding headache, or a bill shows up—way higher than expected. In those moments, it can be challenging to give thanks.

Yet, this is what God calls us to do. God is so good; He’ll always provide something—a thick pair of fuzzy socks, a sliver of moon, a sweet, ripe strawberry. And as we begin looking for beauty, touches of grace, we discover more and more things to thank our loving God for.

​​The hymn, “Take My Life,” written by Frances Ridley Havergal in 1874[1] reminds us how to live for Jesus, how to turn each day over to Him.

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless 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.

The things our hands touch today—whether that’s the fluffy head of a baby, sticky dough we’re kneading, smooth keys on a laptop, piano, or cash register, or maybe the firm handle of a toilet scrubber—let us intentionally touch these things and do the best we can with the work Jesus has put in front of us. The places our feet (or car) take us today—the tennis court, traffic court, a friend’s house at the end of a wooded court—let’s go to these places rooted strongly in our faith, determined to do what is right and good for God there.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Everything that comes out of our mouths has power. We can build people up or tear them down. We can encourage and cheer or criticize and complain. The goal is for our words to sound like music to God. Are our words melodious to God? Will we let Him interrupt our complaints or rants? This is something I’m working on. Singing this hymn reminds me to keep trying to add positive words into my days.

The hymn addresses another issue many of us struggle with:

Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.

How big is a mite? Does this mean we should take our entire paycheck and give it away? No. Whew, because I was planning to spend it on my mortgage, groceries, and maybe those snazzy shoes. But what a great reminder to remember God gave us all the financial resources we have. When we spend our money, let’s dedicate it to God saying, “Here’s Your account, God. Add and subtract as You see fit.”

God gave us the resources of hands, feet, voice, days, words, and money. So, how are we going to use them? Sometimes we clutch these resources wanting to use them as we see fit, but when we do there’s no room for God to take things out that don’t belong or to pour anything new into our lives that would be better. Jesus invites us to spend each ordinary, everyday moment living for Him—not just the big or churchy things. And so, I am grateful that each day God gives us the opportunity to open our hearts to Him and His ways again, and when we do, He lavishes love, grace, joy, peace, and hope upon us.

Questions:

Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering (Romans 12:1 MSG).

Jot down some things you have scheduled for this week (this could be appointments, how you’ll spend money, conversations you’ll have, workouts, meals you have planned, etc.):

Which of these to-dos do you find hardest to turn over to God?

Listen to “Take My Life” and ask God what in your life He’d like for you to try to turn over to Him this week?

*This devotion is taken from Laura L. Smith’s book How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns.

[1] “Frances Havergal Wrote ‘Take My Life and Let it Be,’” Christianity.com, April 28, 2010, viewed December 8, 2018, https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/frances-havergal-wrote-take-my-life-and-let-it-be-11630571.html