Take it All…

Music is one of my heart languages.  To me, it is poetry set to music.  It can be any kind of song and it isn’t limited to a certain genre of music.  A song I deeply connect with is words connected to a compelling tune that encourages a strong emotional response.  As I look back over my life, I find I have certain songs that have a certain meaning to me on the heart level.  For example, I can’t help but get choked up every time I hear/sing a worship song with words from Revelation: “Worthy is the Lamb”, or anything that portrays the worship we will continually do in heaven.  I can’t help but close my eyes and imagine I am standing next to my Dad, and together we are worshipping God forever!

There are certain songs that are representative of a certain time on my life:  what I was feeling, experiencing, going through.  Those ones I can listen to over and over again, especially when I am in the midst of that time.  I can listen to those same songs from the past and immediately be taken back to the feelings and thoughts they represent.  It’s good reflection for me because usually they remind me if what I learned about God or myself or show me the wondrous ways God worked in my life.

One of my all-time favorite hymns is one I call Consecration (Take my Life, and Let it Be by Frances R. Havergal.)  I first remember learning it in High School Choir and the arrangement we sang was a little different than the hymn.  But ever since then it has been one of my favorites.  I have been reminded of it many times over this last year.  These last few weeks while at CIT, I have come back to it time and time again.  As we look ahead to April 8th (moving to Haiti day!) this is my prayer:

Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Lord, my life is yours. May every moment of every day flow in praise to You.

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.

Jesus, my desire is to be your hands and feet in Haiti. Show me how to love as You did. May Your love flow from my hands and feet instinctively. May I always remember how much You love me.

Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.

Lord, this phrase was put in a whole new light today as we discuss learning a new language these few weeks. Take my lips and my voice. Fill them with the ability to speak Creole. Make them effective for Your kingdom.

Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

All I possess is yours, Lord. Take my intellect and use it for Your glory. Use it to aid me in learning this new language.

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 will and transform it to reflect Your will. Sit on the throne of my heart, a heart that loves the Haitian people, and use it to to shine Your love.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

I love you Lord with all that I am. Take me and use me as You will, for Your glory. Take it all…

~Becky