"I went for a little visit of
five days," wrote Frances Havergal, explaining what prompted her to write
her well-known hymn, "Take My Life and Let it Be."
"There were ten persons in the
house; some were unconverted and long prayed for, some converted but not
rejoicing Christians [God] gave me the prayer,
'Lord, give me all in this house.' And He just did. Before I left the house,
everyone had got a blessing. The last night of my visit I was too happy to
sleep and passed most of the night in renewal of my consecration, and those
little couplets formed themselves and chimed in my heart one after another till
they finished with "ever only, ALL FOR THEE!"
It was on this day, February 4,
l874, that Frances wrote the hymn that is still sung around the world.
One of the most dedicated Christian
women of the nineteenth century, Frances was the youngest child of a Church of
England minister. Though she was always in frail health, she led an active
life, encouraging many people to turn to Jesus and others to seek a deeper
spiritual walk.
Frances 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. In addition to "Take My
Life," she wrote such favorites as "I Gave My Life for Thee,"
"Like a River Glorious," and "Who Is on the Lord's Side?"
Because her voice was lovely, Frances
was in demand as a concert soloist. She also was a brilliant pianist and
learned several modern languages as well as Greek and Hebrew. With all her
education, however, Frances Havergal maintained a simple faith and confidence
in her Lord. She never wrote a line of poetry without praying over it.
One of the lines of Frances
Havergal's hymn says, "Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I
withhold." In 1878, four years after writing the hymn, Miss Havergal wrote
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."
Lyrics:
Take my life
and let it be
,
Consecrated,
Lord, to Thee.
Take my
moments and my days,
Let them flow
in endless 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
Every 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.
