Frank Sinatra and Jane Austen Got It Right

"I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not in my nature." – Jane Austen

The song, All of Nothing at All, was written by Arthur Altman and Jack Lawrence in 1939, and recorded that same year by the Harry James Orchestra with the lead vocals performed by a young crooner named Frank Sinatra. It was reissued by Columbia Records in 1943 during a musicians’ strike and became a huge hit, topping the Billboard charts for 21 weeks and selling more than 1 million copies. Some of its magical – and very haunting – lyrics go like this…

All or nothing at all
Half a love never appealed to me
If your heart never could yield to me
Then I'd rather have nothing at all

All or nothing at all
If it's love, there is no in-between
Why begin and cry for something that might have been
No, I'd rather have nothing at all

My friend, just like Jane Austen and Frank Sinatra weren’t interested in “half a love”, neither is God. He wants all our love, all our heart, all our affection, and all our devotion… and He deserves to have them, too. After all, God the Father gave His Only Son to demonstrate His love for us (John 3:16); and Jesus held nothing back on Calvary’s cross.

Here is how Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers”, put things into perspective…

“My soul, insofar as you are a child of God, you must conquer all the rest of yourself that remains unblessed; you must subdue all your powers and passions, and you must never be satisfied until He who is King by purchase also becomes King by gracious coronation and reigns in you supreme. Seeing, then, that sin has no right to any part of us, we are involved in good and lawful warfare when we seek, in the name of God, to drive it out. Since my body is a member of Christ, shall I tolerate subjection to the prince of darkness?”

“My soul, Christ has suffered for your sins and redeemed you with His most precious blood; do not allow your memory to store up evil thoughts or your passions to be the occasion of sin. Do not allow your judgment to be perverted by error or your will to be led in chains of iniquity. No, my soul, you are Christ's, and sin has no right to you.”

In shorthand, that means out with sin and in with L-O-V-E.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14 (NKJV)

“Jesus declared, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President