Jesus, Master, Whose I Am

Frances Havergal is very likely one of the most remarkable women I have ever read about. I read a mini-biography about her in a book titled Well With My Soul a couple of years ago. Her attitude towards worship and her almost-feisty passion for the glory of God has left a lasting impression on me. She was very smart, learning Hebrew, Greek and Latin at a very young age and memorizing Psalms, Isaiah, and most of the New Testament. When she was seven she composed her first poem:

Sunday is a pleasant day,
When we to church do go;
For there we sing and read and pray,
And hear the sermon too.

On Sunday hear the village bells;
It seems as if they said,
Go to the church where the pastor tells
How Christ for man has bled.

And if we love to pray and read
While we are in our youth,
The Lord will help us in our need
And keep us in His truth.

It is remarkable to me that this poem came out of a seven year old. She suffered many physical ailments throughout the course of her life, dying in 1879 at age 42. Her most well known hymn is "Take My Life and Let It Be."

The following hymn she wrote for her nephew.

Jesus, Master, Whose I Am
Text: Frances R. Havergal
Music: Jeremiah F. Ohl

Jesus, Master Whose I Am
Purchased Thine alone to be,
By Thy blood, O spotless Lamb,
Shed so willingly for me,
Let my heart be all Thine own,
Let me live for Thee alone.

Other lords have long held sway;
Now Thy Name alone to bear,
Thy dear voice alone obey,
Is my daily, hourly prayer;
Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
Nothing else my joy can be.

Jesus, Master, whom I serve,
Though so feebly and so ill,
Strengthen hand and heart and nerve
All Thy bidding to fulfill;
Open Thou mine eyes to see
All the work Thou hast for me.

Lord, Thou needest not, I know,
Service such as I can bring,
Yet I long to prove and show
Full allegiance to my King.
Jesus, let me always be
In Thy service glad and free.

Jesus, Master, I am Thine;
Keep me faithful, keep me near;
Let Thy presence in me shine
All my homeward way to cheer,
Jesus, at Thy feet I fall,
O be Thou my all in all.