Daily Devotional – October 19, 2023
“Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.” – Frances Havergal
There are many ways to pray. Payer offers us connection with God. it removes us from world around us and lifts our hearts and minds to the One who is our source of grace and strength. One of my favorite ways to pray is by using hymns. These beautifully written lyrics often help me express my hopes and dreams in better ways than I can myself.
One of these hymns was written by Frances Havergal in 1874. Frances was a young woman who wanted to grow in her faith. She wanted to experience God, grow close to Jesus, and know the power of the Holy Spirit at work in her life and in the life of others. Although she often struggled with her health, she used her gifts to share the love of God with others.
Frances Havergal knew that one way to experience God and grow in her faith was to give her time and resources to help those in need. She knew that when she gave her time and money, she would open herself up to experience God’s love and grace in a special way. She captured that practice of the faith in two wonderful verses of the hymn she wrote, “Take My Life and Let it Be.”
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.
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.
One of the things that prevents us from experiencing God is our desire to hold onto our most treasured things. When we offer our treasure, in service to God, we find that we have more than enough for ourselves and to bless others.
I hope today you will take some time to pray these beautiful verses from this wonderful hymn. Today is a wonderful day to remind ourselves that we are called to make a difference in this world. When we offer our time, our treasure, our gifts, and our service, we can share God’s love and bring hope to the world.
-Rev Keith King, Pastor of Worship
