His Way With Thee

Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain:
His pow’r can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
’Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?
Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?
Would you have Him save you, so that you need never fall?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?
Would you prove Him true in providential test?
Would you in His service labor always at your best?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Also known as “Let Him have His way with thee”, this particular hymn was written by Cyrus Sylvester Nusbaum (what a great name) in the late 1800’s.  Mr. Nusbaum was a Methodist minister in Kansas, and this particular hymn was written during a difficult period of his ministry.  Here’s Mr. Nusbaum’s own testimony about the inspiration behind this song:

“I had spent my first year in pastoral work. Having been appointed to serve as a pastor in one of the poorest circuits in our district, I had struggled hard during the year to take care of the seven preaching places and congregations. It had been a most difficult task, strenuous and discouraging, and the income pitifully small. At the end of the conference year, my wife and I gathered our few necessary belongings, and, with the assistance of one of our members, we arrived at the railroad station in order to take the train to the place where the conference was to meet that year.

Naturally, we had prayed and hoped that, at the conference, I might be appointed to a better charge, but when the Bishop read the appointments the last night of the conference, I was named as pastor of the same old circuit. It was with heavy hearts that we repaired to our lodging place that night. Mrs. Nusbaum sensibly retired early, but I remained in the little parlor with no one to disturb me.

I was very unhappy and a spirit of rebellion seemed to possess me. About midnight, I finally knelt in prayer beside my chair. After some struggle, a deep peace came stealing into my heart. I told the Lord that I would be willing to let Him have His way with me regardless of the cost. With that feeling, of surrender to the will of God, came the inspiration for the new song, now so well-known throughout Christendom.”

I don’t know about you, but I can relate to Mr. Nusbaum’s testimony.  Have you ever earnestly prayed for a change in circumstances and have God’s answer be “No” or “Not yet?”  Have you had a heart to “Go” and God says “Stay,” or do you have a heart to “Stay” and God says “Go?”  You feel like you are stuck in the “same old” rut. This is not an easy place to find oneself.  It can be a place of discouragement.  It can be a place of monotony and going through the motions.  But I love the fact that in this place of rebellion and disappointment, God met Pastor Nusbaum there.  God didn’t change his circumstances.  What God did do is change his heart.  This song is not necessarily one of those hymns that is easy to read.  It will not necessarily give you the warm fuzzies because it goes against what our flesh wants to do.  What I hope this hymn does, however, is remind all of us that God wants to have His way in our lives.  He is not looking for us to “fit Him into our schedules” but He wants to give Him complete control over every aspect of our lives.

In the chorus of this hymn, there are three things that I wanted to comment on:

His Power – Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  Jesus promised that we would be endued with power from on high.  Power to be His witnesses.  Power to overcome this world.  And as the author of this hymn says “power to make you what you ought to be.”

His Blood – Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:7 says “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”  What a powerful verse!  Through His blood we have redemption.  Our lives have been redeemed from the pit and saved from eternal damnation.  Through His blood, we have forgiveness of sin.  There is truly, “power, power, wonder working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.”

His Love – When we love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength, the prayer for Him to have His way becomes a much easier prayer to pray.  Because we love Him so, we trust that He knows best.  Because we love Him so, we can accept His discipline and chastisement for what they are – acts of grace and kindness.  When His love fills our souls, then it truly changes our “vision.”  We see things differently when His love has taken over control of our hearts.

Back in the 1970’s, Burger King had an ad slogan that many of you will remember.  The slogan was “Have it your way.”  It even had a song that went “”Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us. All we ask is that you let us serve it your way!”  I readily admit that I am one of those “special order” people.  I go to Burger King and order a Whopper with Cheese, no ketchup and no pickle.  Burger King has made a lucrative business about catering to individual preferences like mine.

But “having it our way” when it comes to spiritual things is a dangerous place to be.  God is looking for those who aren’t giving Him “special orders,” or who aren’t specifically detailing exactly how they want their lives to be. “Yes, Lord as long as it fits into my plans, I am happy to obey.”  No, He is looking for those who are like Mr. Nusbaum.  Those who reach the place in their lives where they can pray – Lord, have it your way.  No special orders included.  Don’t withhold anything that will make me more like You.

I pray today that these words will encourage you, no matter where you find yourself today.  I pray that you trust that He knows what is best for you, and that you will let Him has His way with thee.