Kept for the Master's Use

During my morning devotionals I’ve been reading Kept for the Masters Use by Frances Ridley Havergal, the hymn writer.  If you purchase this book and only read the last few chapters it would be worth every penny. 

Each chapter in the book talks about keeping the different parts of ourselves (our lives, moments, hands, feet, voice, wills, etc.) for the Master’s use.

In the chapter Our Selves Kept for Jesus she writes how we must trust in God and in so doing we will find rest, "a relief from all strain and effort".  When we do place our trust in Him then God can take a very average life and do great things.

"He will never change His mind about keeping us, and no man is able to pluck us out of His hand.  Neither will Christ let us pluck ourselves out of His hand, for He says, "You shall stay with me for many days."  And He that keeps us will not slumber.  Once having undertaken His vineyard, He will keep it night and day till all the days and nights are over…"

Isn’t that beautiful?  God’s love for us is unchanging; He will finish the work He has started in our life.  Jeremiah 2:2 says He remembers the time of our youth, ‘the love of thine espousals’.  Even when we are untrue to Him, are cold and distant yet He remains faithful. 

The last chapter of the book is called Christ for Us and here Ms. Havergal takes all of the attributes we are to give to Christ and shows how He expresses those to us.  She first begins with the verse from Hosea 3:3.

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days;

thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: 

so will I also be for Thee.

God did not purchase us with barley and silver as Hosea did his adulterous wife but with His own blood.  He gave His life "without condition, without reserve, without return!  Himself unknown and unloved.  His gift unsought and unasked."

He gave His hands and feet for you.  The feet that went about doing good and setting an example walked the road to Jerusalem to be offered up for our sins.

His voice.  In Song of Solomon 5:2 the maiden considers:

I sleep, but my heart waketh: 

 it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying,

Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: 

I’m looking at Song of Solomon a little differently now.  I knew it was a book of love from God to his people but it wasn’t as plain to me as now.  Chapter 2:8-17 of Song of Solomon is beautiful.  You must read it.  You can just feel the love they have for one another and how God has that deep yearning to have fellowship with us and how we should be so excited for the opportunity.

My words are not as poetic and beautiful as Ms. Havergal.  You simply must read it for yourself.  I found it to be quite stirring to reflect on God’s great love for me. 

"His love!  What manner of love is it?  What should be quoted to prove or describe it?  First the whole Bible with its mysteries and marvels of redemption, then the whole book of Providence and the whole volume of creation.  Then add to these the unknown records of eternity past and the unknown glories of eternity to come. …and still that love will be untold.  Still it will be the love of Christ that passes knowledge.

But it is for you!

Now, how can we not give our all to Him?

Now, Lord, I give myself to Thee,

I would be wholly Thine,

As Thou hast given Thyself to me,

And Thou art wholly Mine;

O take me, seal me for Thine own,

Thine altogether, Thine alone.

Frances Ridley Havergal 1836-1879 (age 43)