About the Song
“Take My Life” was released in 2002 on Jeremy Camp’s album Stay and is one of my favorite songs on that album.
It hits the ground running, so to speak, with adrenaline-packed guitars and drums. This is a song you play when you really want to rock out.
In the first verse, it seems that the speaker has hit rock bottom trying to do things on his own. His pride has brought him only brokenness, and he is ready to surrender everything in his life to God.
For the chorus, he passionately cries out to God to take all of him – his life, mind, soul, and will – he is holding nothing back.
Verse 2 continues the theme of surrender, but this time from a worshipful and grateful heart instead of one of desperation. He has been granted a new perspective on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and in return, he wants to live for Him.
And in the bridge, he tells God that he knows that He is with him and that He is working out a beautiful plan for him.
As I mentioned, this is definitely one of Camp’s harder rock songs. There is almost a righteous anger behind the tone – but not anger towards God. I believe that the speaker is angry with himself for the poor decisions he has made outside of God’s leading and for the messes he has gotten himself into. Therefore, he is standing his ground saying, “I’m done trying to live my own way – it’s not working! God, take my life – it’s all yours.”
Scriptural Application
Here are a few Scriptures that come to mind while listening to “Take My Life”:
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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30, New International Version [NIV])
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)
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Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. (Romans 6:13, New Living Translation [NLT])
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19Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NLT)
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“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” (Matthew 16:25, NLT)
When we try to live our lives for ourselves, seeking our own will and desires and ignoring God’s, we eventually end up miserable.
It is like trying to fit a puzzle piece where it does not go – you just end up damaging the piece. And even if you can get the piece to fit, it ruins the puzzle as a whole – it won’t look right, and it disrupts the placement of the other pieces.
We are not meant to live for ourselves; we are meant to seek out and surrender to God’s will.
The good news? God’s plans for us are only good (Jeremiah 29:11), and He has promised to lead us along the best pathway for our lives (Psalm 32:8, NLT). When we seek Him first, He promises to meet all of our needs (Matthew 6:33).
I know, it feels terrifying sometimes to trust someone else with our lives, even though we know we should trust God. (I know this from experience – just check out “My Radio Journey”.)
But I have also learned from experience that following God’s plan, even when we don’t understand it (and don’t want to follow it), always works out for our best in the end. Trusting Him will save us the heartaches, headaches, and mistakes that occur when we don’t.
So let’s do it – let’s surrender our lives to God and trust in His love for us.
We will never regret it.
Prayer Focus
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Jeremy Camp
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Kevin Max Smith, solo artist/member of bands dc Talk and Audio Adrenaline (Birthday: August 17, 1967)
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Belinda Carlisle, solo artist/singer with The Go-Go’s (Birthday: August 17, 1958)
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Deen Castronovo, drummer who played with Journey (Birthday: August 17, 1964)
Please pray for these bands and individuals as God leads you.
(I also have a basic guideline here if you wish to refer to it.)
Station Support
In addition to praying for the weekly Prayer Focus, please pray for God to guide me and give me wisdom as I make decisions for the radio station and for the website. I really appreciate your prayer support!
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Contact
Did “Take My Life” make it onto your favorites list? Have you ever struggled to surrender to God? Let me know!
Links
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“Take My Life” Download (USA): https://www.christianbook.com/jeremy-camp/take-my-life/pd/DLF125892-11
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Stay Full Album Download (USA): https://www.christianbook.com/jeremy-camp/stay/pd/DLF125892-CP
Downloads and/or physical copies may also be available worldwide from your favorite online music store, at your local bookstore or thrift shop, or through your favorite online marketplace.
Closing Note
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Signing off until next week –
Rocking for Jesus with you!
Amanda Renée