Take My Life and Let it Be - story behind the hymn

Is it possible to sing this classic hymn lightly? No greater words of consecration and commitment to God have been written. Let's look at its history, and the meaning of Frances Havergal's lyrics, here today.

1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless 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,
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,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt 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,
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,
ever, only, all for thee.

[marcrogers]

As I commented on the video of Be thou my vision. This too was sung at my daughters memorial.
service. Reflecting on my daughters short life of 8 days, This hymn hits home.
All praise to The King

[johannahowardtripp]

Take my life...was the song for my baptism. Luke I just love joining you and your love for Jesus shines through you. God bless you as you continue to serve our Jesus.

[LarnaKlass]

What a great blessing....when the Lord equips us for His work it's always perfectly anointed. Thank you for your obedience to His call.

[gordonrea]

Thank you for sharing the background story to a powerful and seemingly almost forgotten hymn. What a shame that so many young Christians have never heard of it.
I first heard this at my little chapel in Portsmouth, England where I had started going as an 18 year-old in 1982. I knew I was hungry for God but no-one had ever told me what to do. One Sunday evening, one of my teachers, a kind but fairly formidable lady, stood and gave her testimony of how the hardest thing the her had been to surrender her intellect to God. I had never heard of such a thing and didn't know God wanted this. She then chose this hymn and we stood to sing. However, I couldn't get the words out: they were stuck in my throat while every word was leaping at me off the page. For the first time in my life, I knew that God was calling me and speaking to me. I rushed home and went on my knees, pouring out these beautiful words to him, meaning ever one with all my heart. I also asked him to fill me with his Holy Spirit, which I had also heard about that evening. Immediately, there on my knees in my bedroom I was gloriously saved and filled with his Spirit. I knew I was born again and had never known such peace and joy. I later discovered that on that very evening he had also called me to be an evangelist. This hymn and the story behind it are very precious to me. Thank the Lord for the servant he gave this to all those years ago.

[KieranMcEvoy-nr]

I have been very moved by the beautiful lyrics of this hymn. Every morning I recite the words as a devotional. May our lives reflect the same devotion to Christ as Francis R. Havergal. Thank you for enlightening us about her life. Very inspiring!!

[sallylouw]

AMEN TAKE MY LIFE LORD AND HELP ME TO FULLFILL THE DESTINY YOU PLANNED 4 ME IN THE BEGINNING. OF TIME. AMEN..LET ME SHINE 4 YOU LORD.

[joyphelps]

Thank you for this lesson from this beautiful hymn.
Sometimes we sing to the tune written by Mozart!

[cindi]

I have always loved Frances Havergal's hymns after reading her history: in August, 1850, she entered Mrs.Teed's school, whose influence over her was most beneficial. In the following year she says, "I committed my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that moment." So beautiful at that moment of salvation to write that and she lived in that brightness her whole life. Oh what a testament. One of the most beautiful hymns ever written. Thank you for featuring it so beautifully.

[nancyravesloot]

❤I love this hymn and now to know the background of it additional blessings!! What a wonderful song, if meant with all your heart, to sing each morning to the LORD GOD!! A wonderful way to begin each day…❤

[AnthWalton-yiii]

We sang this hymn at our wedding. My unsaved family were there. In my speech at the reception. I quoted "As got me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Book of Hosea

[benjaminashley]

I woke up this morning and this song has been playing in my head. I didn't know why but after watching this video, I now know what God is telling me. God bless you.

[kerriecarley]

Remember singing this beautiful hymn many times. Listening to our broadcast today, I was so impressed by the words, “Take my silver and my gold.” At age 76 I have just yesterday sorted my jewellery and separated the “costume” jewellery from “the silver and the gold”. Those words really spoke to me.

[davidfriesen]

THANK YOU DEAR BROTHER. IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGS EVER. MY PRAYER IS THAT I BE INSEPARABLY LINKED TOGETHER WITH GOD. I PRAY THAT MY LIFE SPIRIT SOUL AND BODY BE KNIT TOGETHER WITH GOD AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT. I EVEN PRAYED THAT GOD WOULD LET KNOTS BE FORMED IN THE WEAVING OF OUR LIVES SO THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO UNRAVEL THE HOLY WEAVING OF HIS AND MY SPIRIT SOUL AND BODY

[waynemilton]

My late Mum’s favourite hymn, and now one of mine. Some of the sweetest words and a great prayer. Your historical context and singing was nice!

[MarshaWarhurst]

I grew up in the church and learned this a a child. It’s one of the songs I usually sing during my devotions. Wonderful words! Wish we would sing hymns like this in church.❤️

[WINGLAMCHENG-ublj]

Thanks God, praise Him with words and the story’s behind. A fast choking world, need to take my heart praise the Lord

[ianjohnson]

This was a favorite hymn of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship chapter at Wichita State University while I was there, 1972-1976. But I don't think I've ever heard it anywhere else until I found it again on the internet recently.

[leylanewton]

Beautiful, and amazing song - all glory and honor be to GOD!

[MelaniePadgett]

We shared this story and song in South Carolina, USA together in our ladies Sunday School. We prayed, sang and rejoiced in the LORD.

[andrewjohnmclean]

Interesting, that here in Australia we sing her hymn to the tune she wanted!