Common ground Song 122 ‘Take this moment’
Words / Music: John Bell © WGRG / Iona Community
YouTube recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK67ZuycFxI
Featured image: Woman in contemplation. Original source unknown.
Like many of John Bell’s songs, this one addresses the reality of life as a Christian, rather than simply praising God for his perfection. The editorial notes suggest it is better sung as a solo (as it is written in the ‘first person singular’ and the words are reflective in nature) but can also be sung congregationally. Overall, it reads like a 21st century update of the 19th century classic ‘Take my life, and let it be’, which I have chosen for our church service on 26 July.
The five verses each invite God to ‘take’ some aspect of my life and do something with it. To make a place of love among friends; to mend my brokenness; to strengthen me in my tiredness; to forgive the things I regret; to find my own worth; and to use our skills and talents. The words acknowledge both that God has given everyone skills and talents to use and friends to love; and also that none of us is perfect and we all need strength, healing and forgiveness sometimes. It reminds me of the old adage ‘If you find a perfect church, don’t join it or it will no longer be perfect’.
Most interesting, to me, is the line at the start of the fourth verse: ‘Take the little child in me, scared of growing old’. What was John Bell getting at? Possibly he meant having the sort of humility that Jesus urged, which is neither arrogant nor self-deprecating. I need to acknowledge both my dependence on God (as a child is dependent on their parents, and an old person dependent on younger people) and also the challenge of living up to the calling that I have as an adult to live for God. ‘Help him here to find his worth, made in Christ’s own mould’.
The metre (75.75) is an unusual one, and the music was composed specifically for these words. It has quite a wide range: it is set here in the key of D, but the tune then ends on a bottom A, which as a tenor I find uncomfortably low. But if sung even one tone higher, it would go up to an E, that basses or altos might struggle with. Perhaps that is another reason for treating it as a soloist’s piece, to be played in the key they mind most comfortable.