General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was asked the secret of his amazing Christian life. Booth answered, “I told the Lord that He could have all that there is of William Booth.”
William Booth (1829-1912) as recounted by James S. Hewett in Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1988) 98.
I am just outside Valley Forge, PA, at a leadership retreat with IHS Global (IHS stands for International Health Services). They teach Christian medical professionals how to share Christ’s love at the time of need, patient by patient. So what do my meetings have to do with William Booth’s remarks?
My prayer is that the IHS Global leaders make the choice to give themselves to the Lord with the same resolve, so that the growth of this ministry around the globe is not by their power or might by God’s Spirit powerfully at work through them.
Booth would likely suggest I pray this for all readers of my Meditations so I think I will! God, please help each person reading this take hold of the amazing Christian life–the life that is truly life–by giving themselves completely to You!