“Red Letters” by David Crowder

There I was on death row
Guilty in the first degree
Son of God hanging on a hill
Hell was my destiny
The crowd was shouting crucify
Could’ve come from these lips of mine
The dirty shame was killing me
It would take a miracle to wash me clean

Then I read the red letters
And the ground began to shake
The prison walls started falling
And I became a free man that day
Felt like lightning hit my veins

My dead heart began to beat
Breath of God filled my lungs
And the Holy Ghost awakened me
Yeah, the Holy Ghost awakened me

When I read the red letters
And the ground began to shake
The prison walls started falling
And I became a free man that day

For God so loved the whole wide world
Sent His only Son to die for me
Arms spread wide for the whole wide world
His arms spread wide where mine should be
Jesus changed my destiny

Thank You, God, for red letters
When the ground began to shake
The grace of God started falling
And I became a free man that day
The prison walls started falling
And I am a free man today

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: David Crowder / Ed Cash

Dear God, I started this yesterday morning, but I never got back to it. I woke up with this song going in my head so I decided to spend some time with it. As I read the lyrics, I was reminded of my testimony. Well, I was reminded that I have a testimony, but it’s been so long since I gave my testimony that I had to go back and think about it. 

The dirty shame was killing me

It would take a miracle to wash me clean

My wife and I were talking about my sense of shame (or lack thereof) this morning. I mean, yes, I feel shame for my sins and actions. I have things that I did wrong yesterday for which I am ashamed. But the miracle of you washes it clean. 

I remember when I was a child and always looking for that absolution. I kept “accepting Christ” over and over again (church services, revivals, youth conferences, etc.), but I never felt like I changed. I still had sin and it frustrated me. And whenever I would “go forward to accept Christ” it always felt great. And it would feel great for a while–a few days. Then I would drift back into my old patterns. Nothing changed. 

But it was a process for me, and you led me into learning more about discipleship and worship. You led me into relationship with you. That’s a lot of what the “red letters” are about. They are you teaching me directly how to worship you, how to act around others, and how to see the world the way you see it and become the man you need me to be.

Father, thank you for “red letters.”

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen