God Of All Of Me

May 26, 2014

by Bob Farrell

The Gold Exchange

My Utmost for His Highest is a classic of devotional literature written by Oswald Chambers published in 1924: a compilation of sermons to students and soldiers - still challenging us student-disciples and soldiers of the cross to give ourselves to God.

When we pray to receive Christ as Lord of our life, Jesus does just as he promises: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and stay with him and he with Me.”

Clear enough - and true enough. He does exactly as he says, and we are filled with His abiding presence.

There’s an old joke about the man kneeling at the altar and over-hearing someone next to him asking God to fill him completely. The man then returns to his own prayer, saying flatly: “Don’t do it, Lord. He leaks.”

Uh-huh. That is a problem. We humans are leaky vessels - and will be all our days here on earth. We mean well, certainly we don’t want to insult or grieve the abiding Holy Spirit of God, but our human-ness always seems to predominate.

What I love about the writing in Utmost is the unerring way Chambers leads the reader inexorably to the wisdom and truth of the Bible, exhorting us to be diligent in our struggle with ‘the flesh and the devil’ - through surrender.

In the mid-90s Word Records released an album of song-interpretations of Utmost devotions, and I was blessed to have several songs on the project, including the GMA Song of the Year-nominated “A Heart Like Mine”, performed by Bryan Duncan; and a song I want to spotlight today, co-written with Michael W. Smith and performed by Sandi Patty: “God Of All Of Me”.

This song is really a heartfelt prayer: acknowledging who He is, recognizing who we are, and entreating Him consume us.

Lord, you are God of the morning light

Master of the shining sun and ruler of the night

God of the earth and God of the sea

Voice that fills creation from the mountains’ majesty

Lord God of all

You know my ways

Giver of breath to my dying day

Almighty God of all I can see

Build up Your kingdom in me

Father take my heart

Hold it in your hand

Be the God of all of me

Father take my life

Everything I am

Keeper of my soul

God of all of me 

O, the human heart and soul - seat of all emotions and passions - capable of soaring greatness and benevolence - culpable of stunning violence and cruelty...

Lord in my soul

In secret parts of me

There are places in my heart

That only You can reach

Brighter shines my hope

Than the morning light

Deeper is my stain of sin

Than any dark of night 

Father who rules

All of earth and sea

Reign over dreams that I dare not speak

Lord God of all

Be God of these

Rule ev’ry kingdom in me 

Our hope is built on nothing less than than Jesus's love and righteousness.

And true success in this life is not amassing wealth - which stays right here on earth when you leave it - but storing up your treasure in heaven by making an exchange.

Trade your dirty rags for His raiments washed whiter than snow...the poverty of your spiritual condition for the richness of His kingdom.

God’s gold exchange.





(lyrics from “God Of All Of Me” by Bob Farrell, Music Michael W. Smith, circa. 1994, recorded by Sandi Patty: Find It On the Wings)