Take All of Me
It isn’t always easy finding time to pray,
When we are so consumed with things that fill our day.
We’ll give a piece of us to God when we have time.
We rob ourselves of peace from God along the line.
We struggle in our humanness both day and night,
Then fall upon our knees when we have lost the fight.
Surrender to God’s Spirit, answer to his call.
The God of love will lift you up and spare your fall.
Lord Jesus Christ come in my life and take control.
I give my life to you, my heart, my mind and soul.
Take all of me and mold me into something new,
So, I will be a blessing faithful unto you.
Take all of me; all of me; all of me.
Take all of me; all of me; all of me.
Take all of me Jesus. Take all of me, my Lord.
Take all of me and set me free with your Spirit and your Word.
Consume me with your passion; prepare me as your bride,
Until the day when you will say, “Come join me at my side.”
Take all of me.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Rom 8:14)
Luke 5:1-11, Luke 5:27-32, Luke 6:12-16: The Calling of the Twelve Disciples
Early in his ministry, Jesus called twelve men to follow him and learn the message that he taught. Knowing that he would not physically be on this earth for long, he knew that he needed to train others who would spread the word of salvation once he had returned to the father.
The twelve who were called were not notable: most were uneducated fishermen, one was a despised tax collector, one was a political anarchist, and we really don’t know what Judas Iscariot did except that he stole from the collective money purse. These were not exactly the type of people that you would typically choose for that second job interview for something as important as Christianizing the world! Yet when Jesus called them, they followed. They walked away from their old lives and followed the king. Jesus became their priority.
God wants to be first in our lives. He wants to be in the driver’s seat. He wants to be our top priority. Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was.
“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.’”
Matthew 22:37-38
In the song above, there is a line that says, “It isn’t always easy finding time to pray when we are so consumed with things that fill our day.” How often are we “consumed” with things that are going on in our lives? How many times have you felt “consumed” by the stress around you?
Consider for a moment what the word “consumed” means. Webster’s online dictionary defines consumed as “spent wastefully” or “wasted and burnt away.” Picture in your mind a swarm of locusts consuming a field. They come in noisily and eat away everything in their sight leaving waste and ruin. Is your life being consumed? Are you so wasted away that you feel as though you don’t have anything else left for God?
An interesting thing happens when we put God first in our lives. We have more life when we give our lives to him and devote time to Bible study and prayer. Let that sink in – when we give all that we have and are to him, we end up with more than we had. That is what I call God’s math.
Remember the story where Jesus fed 5000 people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish? Because it was given to him freely, he blessed it and multiplied it. In the same way, when we give our life to him, he will bless it and multiply it. When you put God first in your life, everything else will fall into place. It’s God’s math. But until you put him first, you will continue to be consumed.
Take a look again at our rag tag bunch of disciples. They weren’t much. Nobody knew them. They were considered lower class citizens by most. Yet by giving all that they were to God, they became some of the most influential men in history. It’s God’s math.
God’s math also applies to relationships. In a marriage, your spouse should not be the most important person to you, and if he/she is, there is a good chance that the marriage will not survive. The same applies to your children, parents, etc. Why? Because they are not God, and none of them are equipped to be God, and it actually puts them in a terrible position! God is capable of handling all situations. He knows all, sees all, and understands all things past and present. Our family members simply can’t do that, and eventually, they will make a bad decision and let us down. It simply isn’t fair to put them on a pedestal from which they will certainly fall.
Putting God first in your family will also bring your relationships closer. As each of you pursues God, you will grow closer together in that common pursuit. Think of it like a triangle: the closer each of you draws to God, the closer you get to each other.
However, there is one warning. When you give your whole self to God, you are asking him to show you ways to use your gifts and talents for his glory. God created each of us with free will, and he will not simply step in and manipulate you for his purposes. There is a danger for Christians when they sit back, empty their minds, and ask God to simply take over and use them. When God uses you, it will be as an active participant, and your mind will be fully engaged. Although it is not possible for a born-again believer to be possessed by demons, it is possible for demons to oppress a believer, so instead of “emptying” your mind, meditate on the Word of God and put your focus on him. In return, he will guide you.
Related Devotional
Resources
“Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist” by John Piper is an excellent book that demonstrates how giving all of yourself to God is the only way to satisfy your deepest desires. This book as well as several sermons and articles by John Piper can be found at Desiring God.org
A sermon by John Piper on “Live for Your Greatest Desire: Jesus” can be found at Live for Your Greatest Desire – Jesus
“How to Put God First in Your Life, Relationships, and In All Things” with Mark Ballenger: How to Put God First in Your Life, Relationships, and In All Things
Music and lyrics by LuAnne Barnet. Copyright (c) 2003 LuAnne Barnet. All Rights Reserved
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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