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Category Archives: Hymns and Songs

“We are not as Strong as We Think We Are” by Rich Mullins

16 Feb

“We are not as Strong as We Think We Are” by Rich Mullins

Well, it took the hand of God Almighty 
To part the waters of the sea 
But it only took one little lie 
To separate you and me 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

And they say that one day Joshua 
Made the sun stand still in the sky 
But I can’t even keep these thoughts of you from passing by 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made 
Forged in the fires of human passion 
Choking on the fumes of selfish rage 
And with these our hells and our heavens 
So few inches apart 
We must be awfully small 
And not as strong as we think we are 

And the Master said their faith was 
Gonna make them mountains move 
But me, I tremble like a hill on a fault line 
Just at the thought of how I lost you 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made 
Forged in the fires of human passion 
Choking on the fumes of selfish rage 
And with these our hells and our heavens 
So few inches apart 
We must be awfully small 
And not as strong as we think we are 

And if you make me laugh 
I know I could make you like me 
‘Cause when I laugh I can be a lot of fun 
But we can’t do that I know that it is frightening 
What I don’t know is why we can’t hold on 
We can’t hold on 

It took the hand of God Almighty 
To part the waters of the sea 
But it only took one little lie 
To separate you and me 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are 

When you love you walk on the water 
Just don’t stumble on the waves 
We all want to go there something’ awful 
But to stand there it takes some grace

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Beaker and Rich Mullins

Dear God, we just keep getting humbled over and over again. I wonder at what point we will finally break and repent. I fear it will take a lot more.

I have to be honest. I’m in a bit of a fog right now. Almost overwhelmed into inaction. I just want to hibernate and go into self-preservation mode. Every man for himself sort of thing. But I’ve been so fortunate throughout this deep freeze. I have had electricity and water. I’ve been trapped, but being trapped has been pretty survivable.

That’s why I chose this song today. We are not as strong as we think we are. We have all of these great feelings of accomplishment. All of these plans. And then they just go out the window. I am not nearly as strong (or humble, meek, mild, peaceful, joyful, patient, kind, good, etc.) as I think I am. I talked yesterday about the idols I’ve made out of the infrastructure around me. I feel that same powerlessness today.

Father, I pray right now for the suffering. I pray for those who are cold and don’t know when they will be warm again. I pray for those who live on the margins and don’t know how they will get their next meal. I knew that we might have some water problems. Maybe some road problems. I did not foresee the electricity problems. Please show all of us how to give of ourselves so that others might have a chance. Frankly, I feel like I am praying in circles and I don’t even know how it pray. Holy Spirit, please help. Please intercede. Please pray. It is Fat Tuesday before Lent. May this be a Fat Tuesday like none other. A Fat Tuesday that doesn’t bring gluttony, but truly ushers in a season of worshipping you for everything you do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on February 16, 2021 in Hymns and Songs

 

“Keep Me In The Moment” by Jeremy Camp

10 Jan

“Keep Me In The Moment” by Jeremy Camp

I’ve been thinking ’bout time
And where does it go
How can I stop my life from passing me by, I don’t know

I’ve been thinking ’bout family and how it’s going so fast
Will I wake up one morning just wishing that I could go back

I’ve been thinking ’bout lately, maybe
I can make a change and let you change me
So, with all of my heart this is my prayer

Singing oh Lord, keep me in the moment
Help me live with my eyes wide open
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Singing oh Lord, show me what matters
Throw away what I’m chasing after
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Keep me in the moment
Oh, keep me in the moment
Keep me in the moment
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me

When I wake up in the morning
Lord, search my heart
Don’t let me stray, I just wanna stay where you are

All I got is one shot, one try
One go around in this beautiful life
Nothing is wasted when everything’s placed in your hands

Singing oh Lord, keep me in the moment
Help me live with my eyes wide open
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Singing oh Lord, show me what matters
Throw away what I’m chasing after
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Keep me in the moment
Oh, keep me in the moment (Keep me in the moment)
Keep me in the moment
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me

I’ve been thinking about heaven
And the promise you hold
So, it’s all eyes on you
Until the day you call me home

Singing oh Lord, keep me in the moment
Help me live with my eyes wide open
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
(I don’t wanna miss, I don’t wanna miss)
Singing oh Lord, show me what matters
Throw away what I’m chasing after
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Keep me in the moment
Oh, keep me in the moment
Keep me in the moment
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me

Keep me in the moment (Keep me in the moment)
Oh, keep me in the moment (Keep me in the moment)
Keep me in the moment
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me (What you have for me)

Songwriters: Jordan Sapp / Matthew Joseph West / Jeremy Camp

Dear God, I have been singing this song all morning to myself, so I thought I would dig into it a little. I linked to the official video for it above, but, to be honest, the portrayals kind of went in a different direction than I expected. Not that I disagreed with them, but they were mainly about family and not missing the relationships that we have. And while that is important, I think there is something more that is missed by not living in the moment and being distracted by the future or living in the past–you.

One of the things I read that has had the most impact on my life was from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. In the 15th letter, Screwtape (mentor demon) gives his nephew Wormwood (apprentice demon) some advice about keeping his human “patient” away from God:

Our business is to get the away from the eternal, and from the Present. With this in view, we somethimes tempt a human (say a widow or scholar) to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future. Biological necessity makes all their passions point in that direction already, so that thought about the Future inflames hope and fear. Also, it is unknown to them, so that in making them think about it we make them think of unrealities. In a word, the Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity.

This is brilliant on Lewis’s part, and if they were still adding to the Bible today I’m not so sure some of his writing wouldn’t have been added to it. But I think it also plays to the lyrics of this song, if not the message of the video. There is a lot more that you have called me to than just family, although family is the most important call. But I don’t want to make an idol of them. They are not my ultimate joy. They can’t be. It’s not fair to my children or my wife to ask them to be. No, my ultimate joy is you, in this moment, as a 50-year-old male. A year from now, when (if) I’m still here typing these prayers to you, I will be a 51-year-old male and you will still be the same God. I’ll be different, but you won’t. I won’t find you by worrying about the future. I won’t find you by living in the past. I’ve tried to do both of these things. I’ve tried to go back and recapture the times when our family and our children were younger and things were easier. I’ve tried to fast forward life to get to a place where I want it to be. Instead, the thing for me to do is just live in this moment and ask you, What do you want me to do today?

Father, keep me in the moment. Help me live with my eyes wide open because I don’t want to miss what you have for me. Oh, Lord, show me what matters. Throw away what I’m chasing after because I don’t want to miss what you have for me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 10, 2021 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Bryan Duncan (translated by John Mason Neale – 1861)

26 Dec

“O come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Bryan Duncan (translated by John Mason Neale – 1861)

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Dear God, as I get ready to go on vacation, I thought I would look at journaling through some Christmas songs/hymns. This is another one from Our Christmas, a various artists collection from Word Records in 1990. I’ve always liked it.

The first verse simply reminds me that I don’t know what it means to suffer. Sure, I’ve had heartaches, but I am a very privileged man. I live a middle class life in a country that offers me a lot of freedom. I cannot relate to the feelings that captive Israelites felt. I don’t even necessarily long for Jesus’s return now. But there are people who do suffer. There are people who are captive. There are people who long for your justice and return. I am sorry I am not more sensitive to them and their longings. I’m sorry I am numb to them. Sure, I do things in my daily life that help others (some of it is part of my vocation), but I draw lines and I try to not be too inconvenienced. It’s easier to just look away.

Now this second verse is one to which I can relate more. Satan is always after us, and I can feel it in my own family, both in my immediate and extended families. Thank you for the gift of ultimate victory over Satan. He might win many, many battles here on earth, but the war is lost for him. Thank you for this gift.

Father, sometimes songs like this are great because the communicate a great longing. Longing for something beyond what we can really understand. Longing for peace and rest. I’ll confess that I’m not sure what to expect or what I even need from this vacation. Help me to use this week productively. I certainly don’t feel like I should be staying here. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do while I’m there. Help me to not waste a moment, but give both my wife and me exactly what we need–as a couple and as individuals–so that our lives might be part of your kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 26, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“One Small Child” by David Meece

25 Dec

https://youtu.be/L9iVEF9H-PQ

“One Small Child” by David Meece

One small child in a land of a thousand
One small dream of a Savior tonight
One small hand reaching out to the starlight
One small Savior of life

One king bringing his gold and riches
One king ruling an army of might
One king kneeling with incense and canglelight
One king bringing us life

See Him lying a cradle beneath Him
See Him smiling in the stall
See His mother praising His Father
See His tiny eyelids fall

See the shepherds kneeling before Him
See the kings on bended knee
Oh, See the mother praising the Father
See the Blessed infant sleep.

One small child in a land of a thousand
One small dream of a Savior tonight
One small hand reaching out to the starlight
One small Savior of life

Ooo … Oh … Oh … Oh …
One small child Oh …
One small child Oh …

Dear God, this is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It first came out in 1990 on an album from Word, for whom I worked at the time. Until this moment, I had no idea David Meece actually wrote the song. I thought it was a remake of an older song.

I like several things about the poetry in this song. The first stanza plays with the word “small.” A small child, dream, hand, and savior. I guess everything starts small. Even the nonprofit where I work, which has become a large, complicated operations, started with a small idea given to a woman by you–get some doctors to volunteer one night a week to see people who are poor and don’t have insurance. A seed of an idea. A seed of faith that grows.

The next are the kings. There’s a king bringing riches (one of the wise men), there’s one ruling an army (Herod), there’s one kneeling with incense, and then there’s one bringing us life.

The next stanza has “him and his.” Jesus lying in the manger. Jesus smiling. Jesus’s mother. Jesus falling asleep.

The next stanza is about worship. Shepherd kneel. Kings are on bended knee. Mary praises you. Jesus sleeps.

I have chills while I picture the scenes. Father, help me to be humble today. Help me to be humble with my wife, my children, my family, and my friends. Glorify yourself through my life. Increase as I decrease. Thank you.

In Jesus’s precious, precious name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Red Letters” by David Crowder

24 Sep

“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

 
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Posted by on September 24, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

“Rattle” by Elevation Worship

13 Sep

https://youtu.be/xrAdbH28gIg

“Rattle” by Elevation Worship

Saturday was silent
Surely it was through
But since when has impossible
Ever stopped You
Friday’s disappointment
Is Sunday’s empty tomb
Since when has impossible
Ever stopped You

This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling

Pentecostal fire stirring something new
You’re not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon
Yeah, resurrection power runs in my veins too
I believe there’s another miracle here in this room

This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling

Yeah
Whoa
Do you hear it?
Do you hear it?
Do you hear it?

My God is able to save and deliver and heal
And restore anything that He wants to
Just ask the man who was thrown
On the bones of Elisha
If there’s anything that He can’t do
Just ask the stone that was rolled
At the tomb in the garden
What happens when God says to move
I feel Him moving it now
I feel Him doing it now
I feel Him doing it now
Do it now, do it now

This is the sound
This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling, rattling, yeah

I hear the sound (I hear the sound)
I hear the sound (I hear the sound)
I hear the sound (I hear the sound)
I hear the sound (I hear the sound)
And the bones began to rattle
Rattle, rattle
Rattle

God said live, God said live
Hear the Word
And this is what He said
Live, live
Dry bones hear the Word of the Lord
Live (live), live (live)
Dry bones hear the Word of the Lord
Live (live), live (live)
Dry bones hear the Word of the Lord
Live (live), live (live)
Dry bones hear the Word of the Lord
Live (live), live (live)
Dry bones hear the Word of the Lord
Live (live), live (live)
Live, live, live, live, live

This is the sound of dry bones rattling, yeah
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live
Open the grave, I’m coming out
I’m gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling
Dry bones rattle
Dry bones rattle
Rattle, rattle, rattle
Live, live, live
Live, live
Live, live

Dear God, I just discovered this song this morning. My first thought was that there is a big difference between when you write this song and when you perform this song. I thought of it as I watched the performers move confidently around the stage, singing out to you with all of their might. They were kind of bad a** as they moved and sang. There was some bravado to it.

But then I thought about the person who wrote these songs. I don’t know Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, or Brandon Lake. I know nothing about them or their lives. But one of the things I like to do with Christian songs is imagine the state of the writer’s heart when they came up with these concepts. What kind of pain drove these words?

One thing I tried to do was apply these words to the moment. It’s easy to sing them when things are good. I might feel confident and powerful. Maybe I’m in a church service and the emotions are driving me. Faith is easy in those moments. Singing of your power is really easy in those moments. But what about the moments this song references? What about when I feel like my bones are dead and there is no hope? In those moments, can I sing this song with confidence? Bravado?

Right now, I’m currently in a pretty good place, but I have some people I know over whom I want to sing these lyrics. You know who I’m talking about. I pronounce this simple word over them and their lives. Live! Live! Dry bones hear the word of the Lord. Live! Live!

Father, please use every situation to do your work. Whether it’s a tragedy or a victory, use it to accomplish your plan and help my friends to…Live! Live! Dry bones hear the word of the Lord. Live! Live!

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 13, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“And Your Praise Goes On” by Chris Rice

12 Sep

The moon is high and the sunset fades
The lullabies have all been sung
We’re tuckin’ in another day
And stars appear now one by one
But the stillness moves and the silence yields
And not a single beat is lost
You can hear the chorus in the fields
Taking up where we left off

And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
Where You guard us while we dream
Past the stars they fly, Your praises fill the sky
‘Til You wake us with the dawn
And Your praise goes on

Now bring your warmth, O morning sun
Chase the stars and the moon away
And wake us with your brightest song
And add our voice to your refrain
Now rise up everything that lives!
Flap your wings and leap for joy!
Oh forest lift your arms and sway!
Clap your hands you ocean waves!

And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
Where You bless our toil and play
Through the clouds they rise, Your praises fill the skies
‘Til the setting of the sun
And Your praise goes on

And when my final breath You lend
I’ll thank You for the life You gave
But that won’t mean the praises end
‘Cause I won’t be silenced by the grave!

And Your praise goes on
I’ll be runnin’ to Your throne
With every nation, tribe and tongue
To Your arms I’ll fly
I’ll gaze into Your eyes
Then I’ll know as I am known
And Your praise goes on
And Your praise goes on
And Your praise goes on

Dear God, we lost a loved one yesterday. He was sweet. He was loving. He also had struggles. The kinds of things we all battle through our lives. But he loved you. He loved his wife. He loved his children and grandchildren. No, everything wasn’t picture-perfect. Relationships weren’t all completely whole upon his death. There were things left unsaid, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

I woke up at 3:00 this morning, thinking about him. He is the last of his family of origin to die. He outlived his wife by just over 10 years. We don’t know exactly when he died. He was gone by the time we found him, but I know that you know exactly when he passed. I know you were there. I also know there was a cloud of witnesses ready to welcome him home. His wife. His parents. Even the daughter my wife and I lost during pregnancy 25 years ago. They were there to greet him. What we found was a shell. His soul was with you.

So your praise goes on. I was walking around the house this morning listening to my headphones when the song above came on. It’s about how this earth cannot help but worship you. If we don’t do it then the rocks will cry out. But the last verse really caught my attention:

And when my final breath You lend
I’ll thank You for the life You gave
But that won’t mean the praises end
‘Cause I won’t be silenced by the grave!

And Your praise goes on
I’ll be runnin’ to Your throne
With every nation, tribe and tongue
To Your arms I’ll fly
I’ll gaze into Your eyes
Then I’ll know as I am known
And Your praise goes on

I don’t think I ever noticed that line towards the end of the chorus: “Then I’ll know as.I am known.” I know I don’t know you like you know me. I don’t even know a fraction of you. We hold onto life. We fight so hard. But it is fleeting. Now, he knows what I don’t know quite yet. By the time we found him, he was in pure joy. Maybe he watched us. Maybe he cried over our lack of understanding as we called 911. If it’s possible, I’m sure he did his best to wrap us up, or at least beseeched the Holy Spirit to wrap us up.

And now your praise goes on. My wife and I have a path to walk, and it must include your praise. You worked out so many things over the last three years for his good and for ours. How could you possibly care enough to have done all of that for us? But you do. You do. What an amazing God you are. When I look at even the small details of how you ordained my steps yesterday–even against my will–I stand amazed at you. Give us your wisdom to help healing happen in those broken relationships. It won’t be easy, but the situation is what it is. And I’m trusting that it’s what you need it to be because I am convinced that not even the smallest detail has escaped your notice. And again, I stand in awe of you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 12, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Genesis 11:26-12:4

16 Aug

After Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. This is the account of Terah’s family. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. But Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, the land of his birth, while his father, Terah, was still living. Meanwhile, Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. (Milcah and her sister Iscah were daughters of Nahor’s brother Haran.) But Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children. One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran. The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

Genesis 11:26-12:4

Dear God, maybe we aren’t as great as we think we are. Maybe, sometimes, we are just convenient to your plan.

It’s interesting that Genesis doesn’t really give us any great insights into why you chose Abram. I imagine it had something to do with the fact that he was pretty much willing to do any weird thing you asked him to do.

  • Leave your family and go where I tell you (to be disclosed later). Okay
  • Listen to Sarah and send Hagar and Ishmael off to seemingly die. Okay.
  • Sacrifice your son on an altar to me. Sure.

I would imagine that the people around Abram/Abraham thought he was pretty weird. A religious zealot. But you gave him credibility through the blessings you gave him so I would imagine that was enough reason for the people around him to go along with him.

Is everything I just typed heresy? I don’t know. Maybe. But then I think of Paul. It certainly wasn’t his love for Jesus or goodness that made you call him. It was his zeal that you knew you could redeem and redirect for your purposes (is that more heresy?). Samson? Well, Samson was just a mess of a person, but certainly your person for a specific time. It certainly wasn’t his goodness or love for justice and mercy that earned him your favor. Jacob? A scoundrel if ever there was one, but you had some specific plan for this clan spawned by Abram through Isaac and Ishmael. Thousands of years later, and these are the two dominant religions in the world.

It makes me think of a Rich Mullins song called “Who God is Gonna Use.”

As part of the intro to this YouTube video he said, “Some people say, ‘Rich, don’t you feel like a phony talking about Christ?’ And I say, ‘No, I don’t because I don’t believe Christ loves me because I’m good.'” Then he goes on to sing about all of these people in the Bible you used about whom there was nothing particularly Godly. Balaam’s donkey. Pharaoh’s daughter who found Moses. Esther. Pilate.

So what’s my point in all of this? I think it’s that I can let go of any search for significance and rest assured that whatever significance you want my life to have you can accomplish with or without my decision to be significant. My job is to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love my neighbor as myself. I’m called to do that because you deserve that. As to my worth in your kingdom, one day you will hold me accountable for what I did or didn’t do with my life.

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Matthew 25:31-40

I’ll admit that I don’t try to solve every problem I see. I don’t think there is any way that I possibly can. But then again, that is why you have the body of Christ and not just me. My job is to be sensitive to what you are calling me to do.

Father, give me ears to hear and eyes to see. Help me to not embrace my own posterity, but to embrace you. Help me to also see others through your eyes. Help me to not judge. To not assign a “kingdom value” to them. I would have totally discounted Abram, Jacob, and Samson. There are national leaders whom I discount now. I definitely have my opinions about who should win the next election for president, and I will vote that way, but I can also recognize that I don’t know your heart on this and I will trust that you are working out a greater plan that I cannot see even if it looks on the surface like we are taking two steps backward.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 16, 2020 in Genesis, Hymns and Songs, Matthew

 

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“Daring Daylight Escape” by Caedmon’s Call

02 Jun

“Daring Daylight Escape” by Caedmon’s Call

I’ve got my mind made up
I’ve got to love you or leave you fast
‘Cause I’ve been thinking clear
And I don’t know how long it’ll last
Just like Uri Gellar
I’m bound to twist the facts around
I’ve got to get them straight
Before my baby up and leaves town

‘Cause I can’t walk on water
And if I chase you I might drown
And I’m already up to my neck

If I may pose a question, it’ll only take a second
‘Cause I know that it’s getting late
And depending on your answer I might have to pack
And make a daring daylight escape
Because it’s either high time to make you mine
Or I swear it’s time to get out of town
So please say yes quick
‘Cause the sun’s going down

Yeah, well, London’s nice
But it’s the last place you want to go
But there’s no crime and
You can catch a Broadway show
‘Cause it’s just so far
And it’s bound to get a hold on you
And I’ve got front-page headlines
Pulled right out of yesterday’s news

You can read all about it
About boy meets girl and then
Screws the whole thing up
Just like always

If I may pose a question, it’ll only take a second
‘Cause I know that it’s getting late
And depending on your answer I might have to pack
And make a daring daylight escape
Because it’s either high time to make you mine
Or I swear it’s time to get out of town
So please say yes quick
‘Cause the sun’s going down

It’s no crime to love you
And my heart’s still doing time
It’s acting on its best behavior

If I may pose a question, it’ll only take a second
‘Cause I know that it’s getting late
And depending on your answer I might have to pack
And make a daring daylight escape
Because it’s either high time to make you mine
Or I swear it’s time to get out of town
So please say yes quick
‘Cause the sun’s going down

Written by Derek Webb

Dear God, this song and “Somewhere North” are both back to back on this album and written by the same guy. I’ve never put them together before, but is one the continuation of another? At the end of the day, it’s a guy just trying to figure out his path. In this case, it’s about love, but there are a lot of things that come up in life that bring us to a fork in the road. New job? More kids? Expand my business? Change churches? Start a ministry on the side? Join a protest? The list is endless. I come to these forks in the road every day. How do I respond?

My biggest frustration with myself is how seldom I see the fork in the road and immediately turn to you for guidance. I just plow through. Sometimes I get it wrong. Sometimes I get it right. And sometimes you bless the activity even though I was foolish.

Father, I thought about skipping this song because there weren’t any obvious theological implications since it’s pretty simply a love song. But there’s always something in the description of a life experience that brings us back to you. I think of Paul trying to figure out which way you wanted to send him. You kept closing doors until he found the right one. I think about his argument with Barnabas over Mark. They were just trying to figure it out. And you used all of that to still accomplish your will. Mark matured and even wrote Peter’s version of the Gospel. So please be with me through my ignorance, and ordain the steps I will walk today, even if I am a fool and I can’t see where I’m going.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on June 2, 2020 in Caedmon's Call - 40 Acres Album, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Somewhere North” by Caedmon’s Call (40 Acres Album)

31 May

“Somewhere North” by Caedmon’s Call

It’s a muggy night in Houston
And all the intersections are
Like full serve stations
And I’m on my way to a familiar place

It’s cold in Kansas City
And you can no more hear me
Than I can see your face
And how I wish it was just you and me

We wouldn’t have to talk above the crowd
We wouldn’t have to talk so loud

Yes, I give you my life and all I am
But what have I to give so I
Hand you a candid photograph
Of this little boy cause I
Have nothing to my name
But I can give you that

See I don’t miss the driving
Seems like forever, and
I’m always driving in my mind
I’m wearing out the road that gets me there

I’m driving till my eyes just can’t see straight
But I suppose it is getting late

Yes, I give you my life and all I am
But what have I to give so I
Hand you a candid photograph
Of this little boy cause I’ve
Got nothing to my name
And I can give you that

See I may never find the sleep
I’ve lost all feeling in my hands
And feet may touch the ground
But my mind’s somewhere north of here

Cause I give you my life and all I am
So what have I to give so I
Hand you a candid photograph
of this little boy
Cause I have nothing to my name
I’ve got nothing to my name
But I can give you that
And I will give you that

Dear God, first, I don’t think there is much here that is theological, but there is a ton here that is completely human. And if I consider the idea that you gave us all of these emotions and help us to sort through them then it makes this song as relevant as any I’ve done on this album.

I wanted to see if I could find any comments by the author or band about this song, and I found this comment by just a person who loves the song:

I love this song. The way Derek’s voice cracks and soars lends itself beautifully to the heart-wrenching sentiment in these lyrics. “We wouldn’t have to talk above the crowd / We wouldn’t have to talk so loud…” This will be my song until I find that person. “I’m always driving in my mind, and wearing out the road…”

Yeah, good music taps into nerves like this. I’ve been happily in a relationship for over 30 years now, but I remember this pain before I met my wife. I remember looking for that Eve to my Adam. I remember these feelings. And I’ve felt them in other ways since then. I’ve felt them when I was unemployed and looking for that next job. I’ve felt them when I was estranged from my children.

Father, thank you for the answered prayers in my life. Thank you for what you’re doing that I can and cannot see. Thank you for peace. I pray for those I love to find this peace as well. Heal our wounds. Make our pain count and use it to bring all of us closer to you regardless of our situations.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 31, 2020 in Caedmon's Call - 40 Acres Album, Hymns and Songs

 

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