My Father, I abandon myself to you.

Do with me as you will.

Whatever you may do with me, I thank you.

I am prepared for anything; I accept everything,

provided your will is fulfilled in me and in all creatures;

I ask for nothing more, my God.

I place my soul in your hands.

I give it to you, my God, with all the love of my heart,

because I love you. Amen.

 

Wonderful God, ever faithful, shine on us as we leave this place.
Dwell in us. Bless us and keep us for Jesus’ sale. Amen.

I believe your congregation will learn to treasure this benediction. One way to introduce it would be with flute and piano; have it sung twice, first by a soloist, then by all. The accompanist should play very softly until the song “blossoms” at the words “May God’s countenance shine upon you…” Also consider repeating that section, perhaps even a bit slower the last time.

(from Reformed Worship, Issue 103)

This benediction has a moving story behind its composition. Swee Hong Lim and Maria Ling were thankful to God for the birth of their first baby after many years of waiting. One day after his birth, the baby stopped breathing, but the prompt action of the nurses revived the baby. In gratitude, Ling wrote this lullaby, and Lim composed the song, whose accompaniment seems to convey a rocking crib. This hymn can be sung as a benediction at the close of a service or as a prayer for sending people off. The composer recounts the background of this work:

The tune was created initially as a lullaby. However, as a result of God’s providence in the life of our son, Soon-Ti, Maria created the English text based loosely around the Hebrew scripture (Old Testament) of Numbers 6:24-26. Dong Li, the Chinese translator of the text, was a theological student who attended Trinity Theological College, Singapore. His translation was made possible through Mary Gan, who was then his hymnology lecturer. She is currently the principal of the Methodist School of Music, Singapore. Musically speaking, with the melody having a lullaby nature, the keyboard accompaniment was deliberately kept simple and tender to strengthen the imagery of resting in God. The tune SOON TI was named after our child; it literally means “pure knowledge [of God]” in Teochew (a southern Chinese dialect). The melody is pentatonic (G, A, B, D, E [D = 5 6 1 2 3]) in design, unlike the accompaniment. (Written by Swee Hong Lim)

Born in Singapore, 11 June 1963, Swee Hong Lim obtained his Bachelor of Church Music degree in composition from the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, the Philippines (magna cum laude, 1989). He received a Master of Sacred Music degree in 1995 from the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. For several years in Singapore, he served as the director of Worship and Music Ministries at Wesley Methodist Church and Paya Lebar Methodist Church. In 2006, he earned his PhD in Liturgical Studies from Drew University, New Jersey (with a thesis titled “Giving Voice to Asian Christians: An Appraisal of the Pioneering Work of I-to Loh in the Area of Congregational Song”). He also served as a local pastor of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is currently director of the Master of Sacred Music Program at Emmanuel College in the University of Toronto, Canada. His numerous compositions and articles have appeared in various publications, including Chalice Hymnal, New Century Hymnal Companion, The Faith We Sing (a United Methodist hymnal supplement), and the Global Praise series. He is married to Maria Ling, and they have three children.