March 1, 2010
8:56 AM

With a Mission focus in March, we are going to sing the song, Take My Life and Let it Be. There are three versions that I have for you:

Take My Life – Tomlin’s arrangement (new melody, reflective, with powerful additional chorus)

Take My Life – Jadon Lavik’s arrangement (same melody as Tomlin’s, different chorus, joyful!)

Take My Life and Let Be – Kari Jobe’s arrangement (traditional melody, sensitive and wonderful!)

Here’s the story:

Frances R. Havergal came to faith and committed her life to Christ at the age of 14. She had begun reading and memorizing the Bible at the age of four (eventually memorizing the Psalms, Isaiah and most of the New Testament). At seven she wrote her first poems. Several of her mature verses became hymns. As a student, she loved to learn languages and became an accomplished musician. Her life’s mission was to sing and work for Jesus. She had both a great taste for music and a good knowledge of harmony, a natural and inherited turn for melody, a ringing touch on the piano, and a beautiful and well-trained voice. These gifts she now entirely devoted to Christ; whether at home or in mixed society she always “sang for Jesus.”

Her hymn of consecration, “Take My Life and Let It Be” was written by Miss Havergal in 1874. She had been at a retreat with some folks and was praying for their salvation. She gives the following account:

“The last night of my visit after I had retired, the governess asked me to go to the two daughters. They were crying, & then and there both of them trusted and rejoiced; it was nearly midnight. I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration; and these little couplets formed themselves, and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with ‘ever only, ALL FOR THEE!'”

Her prayer, “Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold,” in the same hymn was not lightly stated. In August, 1878, Miss Havergal wrote to a friend, “The Lord has shown me another little step, and, of course, I have taken it with extreme delight. ‘Take my silver and my gold’ now means shipping off all my ornaments to the church Missionary House, including a jewel cabinet that is really fit for a countess, where all will be accepted and disposed of for me … Nearly fifty articles are being packed up. I don’t think I ever packed a box with such pleasure.”

Frail in health all of her life, Miss Havergal one day caught a severe cold which caused inflammation of the lungs. When told that her life was in danger, she exclaimed, “If I am really going, it is too good to be true!” At another time she responded, “Splendid! To be so near the gates of heaven.” At the very end, it is reported that she sang clearly, but faintly, another of her hymns, “Jesus, I Will Trust Thee, Trust Thee with My Soul.”

Frances Ridley Havergal died at Caswall Bay, Swansea, Wales, June 3, 1879, at the age of forty-two. She never married. On her tombstone at Astley, Worcestershire, is engraved her favorite text, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

Take My Life and Let it Be
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee
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

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
Ev’ry 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

Bill Born