I used to post hymns or spiritual songs on Sundays. But since we’ve moved here, I don’t have as much time on the computer on Sundays, due mainly to a longer drive times and services that are a bit longer than we were used to. Sunday dinners are often quick and simple now, and I leave the dishes in the sink and catch a nap. 🙂 And I don’t usually have anything in mind beforehand to get a post ready for Sunday.

But a song that I have considered posting for the last couple of weeks is “Whatever It Takes.” I was unfamiliar with it until our pastor played it just before prayer time on a Wednesday evening. He played the audio of this rendition by Kevin Inafuku from his CD He Is.

Whatever it takes
To keep me tender toward You,
Whatever it takes, Lord
I beg You to do.
Whatever You must lead me through,
Whatever it takes, Lord … do.

At times I hear your voice and try to hide
But patiently you draw me to your side.
I may not always see
That Your words are life to me.
So many times I’ve missed You,
Help me, Lord, to not resist You

Sometimes my heart gets hard and I can’t see
That Your correction is protecting me
But as I look within
The darkness of my sin
Breaks my heart and leaves me tender:
Gratefully I then surrender.

Whatever it takes
To keep me tender toward You,
Whatever it takes, Lord
I beg You to do.
Whatever You must lead me through
Whatever it takes, Lord,
There’s too much at stake, Lord.
Whatever it takes, Lord … do.

By Jon Mohr

Besides Kevin’s beautiful voice and phrasing, the song’s message arrested me. I wrestled with whether I could truly say, “Whatever It Takes.” It’s something I wrestle with from time to time, like in a previous post When Afraid to Surrender.

I can say it, by God’s grace, but instead of a full open invitation, it’s more of a squinting through the fingers of my hands as they cover my face while hoping it isn’t anything catastrophic. I can’t help wincing a bit, because God does sometimes call His people to go through excruciating things. But He does promise His grace, His presence, and His help as well.

I can’t go through a list of potential crises and say, one by one, “Yes, Lord, if You want to do that…Yes, Lord, to that…” I don’t know that that’s what He asks. But I can say, “OK, Lord,” while still wincing and squinting and trust His grace is sufficient for even that weakness.