CHRISTIAN LIFE >> STEWARDSHIP
SDAH 635
Lord of all good, our gifts we bring You now;
Use them Your holy purpose to fulfill.
Tokens of love and pledges they shall be
That our whole life is offered to Your will.
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For Worship Leaders
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Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
Albert F. Bayly (1901-1984; see Biographies), an English Congregational pastor for nearly 40 years, was considered the dean of a new wave of British hymn writers of our time. This hymn was written for a Christmas fair at Eccleston Congregational Church, St. Helens, Lancashire, where he was pastor from 1956 to 1962. It was first published in his second book of hymns, Again I Say Rejoice, 1967. Slight alterations replace the “Thee” and “Thou” with “You” and “Your.”
This is but one of several fine stewardship hymns in SDAH. A study of the text reveals how appropriate it could be as a prayer before the offering is taken, either read by the leader, or sung by the choir or congregation. The second stanza reminds us that true stewardship is more than just giving money. It involves also the giving of minds, hands, voices, eyes, hearts-yes, all of our powers to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. And the closing stanza is a doxology, giving thanks to each member of the Trinity and offering grateful hearts. The hymn catches the spirit of King David after he had collected material for the Temple; he prayed: “I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things” (1 Chron. 29:17).
For notes on MORESTEAD and Sydney Watson (1903- ), see SDAH 31, “Tell Out My Soul.”
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Lord of all good, our gifts we bring You now;
Use them Your holy purpose to fulfill.
Tokens of love and pledges they shall be
That our whole life is offered to Your will.
2
We give our minds to understand Your ways;
Hands, voices, eyes to serve Your great design;
Hearts with the flame of your own love ablaze:
Thus for Your glory all our pow’rs combine.
3
Father, whose bounty all creation shows;
Christ, by whose willing sacrifice we live;
Spirit, from whom all life in fullness flows:
To You with grateful hearts ourselves we give.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(b) Matt 22:37
Author
Albert F. Bayly (1901-1984)
Performance Suggestions
Unison
Copyright
Words by permission of Oxford University Press. Music copyright by Sydney Watson.
Hymn Tune
MORESTEAD
Metrical Number
10.10.10.10.
Composer
Sydney Watson (1903-)
