Take My Life

“I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” – Romans 12:1 NLT

Frances Havergal was a precocious child. Born in England in 1836, she started reading when she was three. The daughter of a hymn writer, she memorized much of the Bible. She also developed a passion to spread the Gospel.

This passion was stirred when she visited a home where some were unconverted. Others were “converted but did not have joy.” How she wanted them all to know God as she did!

She prayed, “Lord, give me all in this house!” God answered that prayer, and all 10 household members committed their lives to Him. Moved by this experience, she wrote “Take My Life, and Let It Be,” a hymn that described the dedication she felt toward God.

She wrote, “Take my life, and let it be consecrated” to Him. She prayed He would take her life and let it “flow in ceaseless praise,” that her hands would “move at the impulse of Thy love,” and that her feet would “be swift and beautiful for Thee.”

Her prayer was that she only would sing “for my King” and her words would “be filled with messages” from Him. She committed all her resources to Him, vowing, “not a mite would I withhold.”

God looks for those with this kind of total commitment. Remember, you owe everything to Him. He has given you opportunities to serve Him. Commit your life to Him. Believe Him to do remarkable things through you!

Reflection Question: Compose a prayer of consecration to the Lord.