Give Me Your Soul

You became a Christian a few months ago. I was sent to see you because we’re deeply concerned about you. Oh, I know I’m not one of God’s angels, I’m one of the other kind. I’m a devil from Hell, okay, but I’m not as bad as you think. You see, being born again is all right, it’s a fun thing, but you seem to be taking it all much too seriously. That God fellow of yours, he controls everything you do. You go to the shops, what kind of shoes does God want you to buy? If I buy those comfortable walking shoes, I might be able to walk further instead of getting the bus, and help save the environment. To help me in my walking, I might as well buy a warm winter coat, an umbrella, a pair of gloves, a warm woolly hat and a map to put in my pocket.

You sit down to watch TV. What programmes does God want you to watch? If I watch the news, I can worry about the trapped miners in Venezuala and the people in Pakistan who were made homeless by the floods, and then I’ll feel like a proper Christian. And maybe God doesn’t want me to watch that comedy programme that has all the bad language in it. Maybe if I watch that natural history programme I’ll see the beauty of nature, and that can be part of my worship. What sort of music does God want me to listen to on my MP3 player? Maybe I’ll get rid of that gangster rap. It’s about people being murdered. God won’t like it. He’s listening to it with me. I’ll listen to Katrina and the Waves. They don’t want to kill anyone. The Pretenders swear a bit, but not much, and the rest is good, and that song is like a hymn, so God and me can enjoy listening to it together. I can even put some Christian music on. All the time it’s God, God, God. Everything you do. Should I have another cake? Your body is a temple. Perhaps I’m over indulgent. I’d better ask permission before I do that. God says yes, I can have another cake.

I want your soul. I know, you’re a young Christian and you don’t want to give your soul to a demon, especially if they’re only a trainee devil like me. But I don’t want you to do anything wrong. Make your own decisions. Just buy a car without asking him up there if its some sort of instrument to do his will. Do I plan to drive to work in the morning so that I can spend an extra half hour in prayer? Do I intend to give lots of people lifts in it? Do I have to buy a car that uses hardly any petrol so that I can help save the environment and give lots of money to missionaries? I just want to give you back your freedom. I just want you to be master of your own destiny again, like everyone else is. Most people don’t even understand your way of life. They’d think you were mad.

Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your body, let me take control,
Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your soul.

Being a Christian is never easy,
Somebody else is always in control,
That’s why I come to you and ask you,
Give me your soul.

I’m not asking you to be a murderer,
Or to commit some terrible sin,
I suppose the only thing I’m asking
Is let me in.
Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your body, let me take control,
Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your soul.

Most people belong to me already,
They live for themselves, they live for today,
Most people have never known there’s another way.

Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your body, let me take control,
Give me your body, give me your soul,
Give me your soul.

What do you mean, no? I’m not asking you to do anything terrible, am I? Just be like all the other Christians in your church. All right, I’ll leave. Think about it over the next few years.