Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.
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.

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for Thee.

As we sang this Chris Tomlin worship song yesterday morning in Church, my thoughts went back to Paul. He saw his life as being holy and set apart for God. Even as he endured physical beatings, false accusations and unjust imprisonment, Paul continued to praise God and to serve Him. His attitude – “I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13b).

When Paul entered Jerusalem, he went to the Temple to start the purification ritual. When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia mobbed the temple, dragged Paul out and tried to kill him. Soldiers intervened and arrested Paul.

False accusations and angry crowds characterized the next hours and then the next day. Paul defended himself over and over again to no avail. This was the beginning of the end for Paul but he used these last seven years of imprisonment as a way to continue to tell his story and reach out to others with the good news of the Kingdom. He saw his life as consecrated to God.

During the suffering and hard times, Paul could have been consumed with self-pity but instead was filled with the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. When put on house arrest, Paul could have grieved the loss of his freedom but instead continued to preach to those who came to visit him. With all the time he had now that he could not travel, Paul wrote thirteen letters – letters that continue to be a source of learning and encouragement to us today.

Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour at Your feet it’s treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for Thee. – (the rest of Chris Tomlin’s song Take My Life from the 1874 Hymn Take My Life and Let it Be)

For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no tried to stop him (Acts 28:30-31).

This is where Luke ended his account of Paul’s life. It is believed that Paul was again imprisoned in Rome around AD 64 and martyred during the time of Nero’s persecution of believers. We don’t know the details but we do know that Paul did was he was willing to do – he gave all of himself to God, consecrated to the Holy of Holies.

Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for Thee.