I am a morning person, a topic I address in a humorous fashion here. (I am one of those who refer to the practice of changing time in the spring as DST—Daylight Stealing Time—because the night people steal daylight from the morning people.) As such, my best time to try to connect with God is the morning. This song is a simple morning prayer to begin such a time.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—Colossians 1:21–22 (NIV)
We were God's enemies. We were at war with God. We were not for the things of God, we were for the things of this world. But God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through the death of Jesus. We don't have to be at war with God anymore. W can change sides because God made it possible.
26And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27“How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. (Numbers 14:26-27 ESV)
Grumbling. Whining. Complaining. I found myself doing it again. God called the nation of Israel wicked because of their grumbling—grumbling in spite of His miraculous provision and leading in their lives. Why is it so wicked? Because grumbling is a sign of lack of trust in God and, ultimately, a lack of love for God. And I found myself behaving like these Israelites. As I reflected on this, I was reminded of other behaviors that imply a lack of love for or trust in God. So even though my lips might say that I love God, my actions might be saying something else. God convicted me of this sin and this song was born.
This song is based on a reflection on some of Jesus' words about Himself and some of his instructions to his followers.
In the first saying, Jesus calls himself the bread of life. We read in John 6:35 and 48 (ESV):
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
I am the bread of life.
Jesus' followers are not the bread of life, but they can share bread that Jesus provides. When there was a group of 5000 men plus women and children, needing something to eat, Jesus said to His disciples, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16 - ESV)
Jesus also called Himself The Light of the World:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (ESV)
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:5 (ESV)
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
John 12:46 (ESV)
But elsewhere, Jesus says to his disciples, “14You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16 - ESV)
As Jesus' followers, we are to shine with the light He gives us and share the bread that He gives us with a needy world.
Sometimes when putting a song together, the words come first and the tune follows sometime in the future. Sometimes the words and tune come at the same time. This one is different, as I put the words to an existing tune. The tune I borrowed from a song to my first girlfriend which I wrote in late 1980. While that relationship didn't last, I liked the chords. I don't remember when I acutually wrote a communion song to go with the melody, but at some point in the ensuing 20 years it happened as the first dated copy I have is from 2003.
And when (Jesus) had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:24 KJV)
VERSE 1
C2 FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D This bread You give, O Lord,
C2 FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D Your body broken for me G7/B G7/A-G7 G7/A
Though I’m the one who’s broken
FM7 C2 C2/D-C2/E
In You I’m made complete
CHORUS
F G You gave Your life for me
F C-C/B-Am Gave it up on that tree Dm-Dsus-Dm-D2-Dm-Dsus
Now I give You my life
Dm C2-FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D-C2 Take it from me now
VERSE 2
C2 FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D
This cup You give, O Lord,
C2 FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D
To wash away all my sin
G7/B G7/A-G7 G7/A
Though I still stumble all the time
FM7 C2 C2/D-C2/E
You are there to pick me up
CHORUS 2
F G
You shed Your blood for me
F C-C/B-Am
Poured it out on that tree Dm-Dsus-Dm-D2-Dm-Dsus
Now I give You my life
Dm C2-FM7 FM7/E-FM7/D-C2
Take it from me now
In the fall of 1981, I found myself in the hamlet of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. I had come there to take part in some training with a group called Emmanuel International before heading overseas for a year. The organization was founded by a man named George Middleton, a former missionary to Ethiopia with SIM.
It was a life-changing time for me, and not only because I met Ingrid there (though that was pretty life-changing). At the training we learned practical things like driving 4x4 vehicles off-road and how to maintain them. Milking cows. Preparing chicken from scratch. I even got to have my first experience with hypothermia (that was not part of the required training). But also as part of the training, on most days George would give us instruction on spiritual formation. During this time I became especially aware of my own inadequacy before God—how much even my good works fell short of God's standards—and how much we needed Jesus if we were to accomplish anything for God. We can't be Godly without the power of God. As Zechariah was told to encourage Zerubabbel when facing a seemingly impossible task, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6 ESV)
Emmanuel International HQ in Stouffville
This song started as a poem in response to what was going on inside of me while I was at the training. The tune and chords came later.
E F#7 A E
Behold, O Lord how much... do we withhold from you. E F#7 A E
We say it's you that we love... But we don't act like that's true. B E B C#m
If God you can forgive,... and make our lives a light:
A B C#m A B E
Take them, O Lord from us-- help us to live right.
How can we lie so much,
how can we live like the dead?
How can we always live our lives
without you as the head?
We give our lives to you, God,
use them as you would:
Crucify our hearts, O God,
Make them as they should.
You have created us, O God,
To you we do belong.
Take our lives, we pray, O God,
Make our lives a song:
A song that sings to you, Lord,
To you gives glory alone—
Let us sing for you, O God,
Until you take us home.
