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 Life and Let It Be Consecrated 1874
By: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879)
Listen to this modern version of this classic hymn as you prepare to ponder the lyrics. Please make certain to enjoy the podcast below.
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Everyone enjoy this podcast and transcript below! It features meditative music and moments to contemplate the Scriptures and reflections shared.
Transcript may be found below, at the end of the blog.
As we continue our journey through this classic text and hymn, think about what it will mean to sincerely offer each part of your life and your entire life to God. It requires diligence and intentionality. Thanks for joining us in this grand pursuit. Let’s think about this.
Firm Standing
How’s your footing?
Maybe you can feel the sand squishing between your toes. Is it carpet, or grass, or gravel? Maybe you have not really thought about your footing for some time, or your feet for that matter. Do they hurt so much they are all you think about? Let’s think about them for a few moments right now.
Wherever your feet go you are certain to follow. We do not often think about our feet, and certainly not in this way. We tend to think we tell our feet where to take us and that is fair, but what if we were to think about them differently. Think about them as committed to God’s purposes and not our own.
Maybe you are struggling on the path of life. Have you considered it might be because you are on your own path? You are slipping and sliding, get banged up along the way, yet you carry on. Maybe you have a sense you are walking a tightrope of sorts. One false move and you are a goner.
Different Journey
The writer of the Psalm quoted below knew an entirely different journey. Wide places to step and no slipping. Sound good? All it requires is committing your feet to God. Keep in mind where your feet go you go also so you are really committing yourself to God entirely. While that does not mean the path is easy, He will keep you. Not only that but He will use you, which we will examine more below.
Take my feet and let them be
You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. Psalm 18:36 ESV
God wants to direct our steps so our story can echo this scripture, but that can only happen as we look to Him to direct us. That direction will lead us to places like that described here as contrasted to narrow places where our feet may slip. Will you let Him direct your feet?
Where will you go, or not go? Will you offer your feet to God so that He can move you or keep you to do His will? This seems so simple but requires a great deal of intentionality and patience. You will likely want to move before He moves you. Wait for Him. Offer and wait.
RESONATE!
Take a feet moments and think about the places your feet have taken you. Likely you have not always gone where God desired. Ask for His forgiveness. Receive His forgiveness and then commit your feet to the ways of God. Pray this simple prayer, “Jesus, my feet will wait for You.“
Swift AND Beautiful
We want to use our feet in a dutiful way, but we should keep in mind that will also make them beautiful. When you go the places God has in store for you accomplishing His purposes will more likely constrain you. When you are about His ways you will make a difference in peoples lives and they will be glad you came. Your feet become beautiful to them.
Not only do we want God to make our feet beautiful as we go where He leads us, we want them to be swift. In other words we do not want to delay or postpone our willingness to follow His leading. Are your feet beautiful and swift?
Imagine you are strolling along the beach. The waves are washing over your feet as you walk along the edge of the water. Suddenly you see an older man ahead on the beach also at the edge of the water who falls face-first and then does not move. You pick up the pace and maybe even take off running to assist him.
The same feeling should influence our movement through life. There is someone ahead who needs our help. We can assist them with their fall by helping them up and then gain their footing. You may or may not know who that person is right not, but you will when in that moment that it is clear they need some help.
Committed
You were the one who needed help before you committed your feet and the rest of your life to God. Now God wants to use your feet to take the same Good News that has given you sure footing and share it with someone who does not. Do you want to make peace and salvation known to someone who does not know it is available?
Swift and beautiful for Thee
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7 ESV
If you allow Him to direct you He will make your feet beautiful. Beautiful not as much in form as in function. When you bring good news, peace, happiness and salvation to those who lack it your feet are beautiful indeed. Will you be swift about offering your feet to walk His path?
Not only beautiful because they bring good news, but swift because they are anxious to do so. Why? Because people are perishing and need to hear there is a Savior. Wait for Him, but be ready to move and move quickly when He directs. Someone else may be waiting for you.
RESONATE!
Maybe you do not think your feet are beautiful, but God can make them so, especially in the eyes of others. Maybe your feet have been sluggish to go where God has prompted you. You can begin to change that today. Pray simply, “Spirit, make my feet swift and beautiful.” Then keep praying and watch Him answer.
Jesus I commit my feet again today to staying one step behind You. Teach me how to stay close to You and allow me to marvel at how you make my feet swift and beautiful. Take my feet. In Jesus name. Amen.
Fleet-footed Thinking!
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Podcast 56.2 Transcript, (30.2 REPLAYED)
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
Take my hands and let them move
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11 ESV
There is no shortage of things into which we can engage our hands, and many will leave us feeling like wise Solomon. Wiser still is the one who determines to offer their hands to God for His purposes. Will you offer your hands to God and His purposes today?
At the impulse of Thy love
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments…” John 14:15 ESV
Guided by His love and our response of love. What does that look like? It may very closely resemble the hands that toil like Solomon’s but there is no vanity in the work of hands consecrated to God’s way of love. Commit your hands to move as His love directs.
Take my feet and let them be
You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. Psalm 18:36 ESV
God wants to direct our steps so our story can echo this scripture, but that can only happen as we look to Him to direct us. That direction will lead us to places like that described here as contrasted to narrow places where our feet may slip. Will you let Him direct your feet?
Swift and beautiful for Thee
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7 ESV
If you allow Him to direct you He will make your feet beautiful. Beautiful not as much in form as in function. When you bring good news, peace, happiness and salvation to those who lack it your feet are beautiful indeed. Will you be swift about offering your feet to walk His path?
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more, with the refrain
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 the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, Be Resonant.
The post Making Your Feet Swift and Beautiful, REPLAYED appeared first on Resonant 7.
Image Attribution
Take my feet and let them be – https://pixabay.com/photos/feet-sand-sea-summer-nails-woman-195061/
Swift and beautiful for Thee – https://pixabay.com/photos/run-feet-sea-493336/
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