July 24, 2025
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Take My Life and Let It Be
Give it a listen as you begin
It means more than offering our talents or time. It means offering our whole selves—identity, ambition, habits, voice, and heart—to God. It’s not just about doing things for God but about belonging to Him entirely. Each verse of today's hymn, surrenders a different part of life to Christ: time, hands, voice, silver, intellect, and ultimately the heart and will.
Galatians 2:20 expresses this surrender with striking clarity. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live…” This is a radical declaration, it speaks of an overwhelming transformation through surrender. Christ lives in me, we read. Our walk with Jesus isn’t about self-improvement. The Bible invites us to life, where death to the self-centered way of living and new life through union with Jesus is experienced.
This is why the hymn's repeated invitation—“Take my life... my moments... my hands... my will”—resonates so deeply. It reflects a heart transformed by the love of Christ, compelled to live not for self, but for the One who gave Himself for us.
Galatians 2:20 is a rich verse for understanding Christian identity and purpose. Theologically, it describes what happens when we are united to Christ by faith: we share in His death (crucified with Him) and His resurrection (living a new life in Him).
We no longer live for ourselves, we live by faith in Christ. This certainly does not erase our personality or gifts; it redeems and redirects them for His glory. As John Calvin put it,
“We are not our own: therefore, neither our reason nor our will should guide our thoughts and actions. We are God’s: let us, therefore, live and die for Him.”
So, Surrender is not loss in the Bible's view, it is gain. In giving ourselves to Christ, we find who we truly are.
Imagine a sculptor shaping a lump of clay. The clay doesn’t instruct the artist, it yields to the hands that shape it. It becomes beautiful not by resisting, but by surrendering." That is our teaching challenge on this Thursday.
Today, through hymn and scripture, we’re reminded that our lives become meaningful and beautiful in God’s hands when we stop trying to control everything and simply say, “Take my life.” The lesson is that when we surrender our goals, talents, and even weaknesses to our Creator, God shapes something far more wonderful in our lives than we ever could on our own.
We no longer live for ourselves, we live by faith in Christ. This certainly does not erase our personality or gifts; it redeems and redirects them for His glory. As John Calvin put it,
“We are not our own: therefore, neither our reason nor our will should guide our thoughts and actions. We are God’s: let us, therefore, live and die for Him.”
So, Surrender is not loss in the Bible's view, it is gain. In giving ourselves to Christ, we find who we truly are.
Imagine a sculptor shaping a lump of clay. The clay doesn’t instruct the artist, it yields to the hands that shape it. It becomes beautiful not by resisting, but by surrendering." That is our teaching challenge on this Thursday.
Today, through hymn and scripture, we’re reminded that our lives become meaningful and beautiful in God’s hands when we stop trying to control everything and simply say, “Take my life.” The lesson is that when we surrender our goals, talents, and even weaknesses to our Creator, God shapes something far more wonderful in our lives than we ever could on our own.
Let's Pray
Christ, You gave everything for me, and I no longer want to live for myself, but for You. Take my life and make it Yours, Lord. Shape my desires, guide my abilities, and fill my heart. Let my life mirror You in every word, action, and breath. Amen.
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