"Take up thy cross and follow Me," I heard my Master say;
"I gave My life to ransom thee, Surrender your all today."
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
He drew me closer to His side, I sought His will to know,
And in that will I now abide, Wherever He leads I'll go.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
It may be thru' the shadows dim, Or o'er the stormy sea,
I take my cross and follow Him, Wherever He leadeth me.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
My heart, my life, my all I bring To Christ who loves me so;
he is my Master, Lord, and King, Wherever He leads I'll go.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
"I gave My life to ransom thee, Surrender your all today."
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
He drew me closer to His side, I sought His will to know,
And in that will I now abide, Wherever He leads I'll go.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
It may be thru' the shadows dim, Or o'er the stormy sea,
I take my cross and follow Him, Wherever He leadeth me.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
My heart, my life, my all I bring To Christ who loves me so;
he is my Master, Lord, and King, Wherever He leads I'll go.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, Wherever He leads I'll go.
I was called to be a missionary when I was 8. For several years, I have considered this to be the anthem of my life. I have never been afraid of where God would send me. I have dreamed of sleeping in a hut in Africa, walking the streets of a European town, enjoying the hospitality of Latin church members or standing agog at the pagodas of East Asia. In the past, as I have sung songs like these, it has been with dreams in my mind of where “wherever” might be. I never dreamed God would NOT send me somewhere...exciting. I never thought He would tell me to simply go home. As I sat in church on Sunday, we sang this song as part of the invitation (the focus was international missions). At first I sang, unmoved, the lyrics I knew so well… but as I sang, I heard a still small voice speak softly in my ear “My love, you know this is not true. You have fought me about the one place I wanted you most. You have not followed me ANYWHERE. You have not been willing to follow me home.” I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on my head. I was humbled by my own arrogance to strut around like I had no issues with obedience or surrender or following God. I had no issues so long as it came on my terms and in my way. My goodness I am self-absorbed. And yet, God does not give up. He keeps working His will in my life, no matter how disgruntled I am. That just goes to show you what a loving, faithful God He is!
I hear you. It was the same for me when God called me to serve him at home. I never, ever dreamed that I would have to die even to the desire to GO. But at home, God taught me many valuable lessons that I know I would not have learned anywhere else. It's encouraging to see someone else embracing the (unwanted) call to this difficult mission field.
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