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Category Archives: Hymns and Songs

“No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock – No minefield like presumption, no death wish like denial

31 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

This is part of a series dissecting the song “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock. In the series, I am taking two of the statements he makes and exploring the depth of meaning behind them and what I can learn about myself in the process.

—

Dear God, I have to say that it has been both fun and a little daunting to sit down and play with the lyrics of this song in this way. It takes a while, so I’m glad I’m doing it on vacation. In this case, I am sitting on a deck in the mountains at 3:00 in the afternoon, and I want to make sure that while I’m on vacation I’m not abandoning my love and my worship of you.

There’s no minefield like presumption

I think I need to delve into the word presumption a little. And why would Charlie call it a minefield?

I just looked up the definition of presumption on dictionary.com. I liked this specific definition for my purposes today: “The assumption of something as true.” The word assumption is key here. I looked up the difference between presume and assume, and apparently the difference is that presumption is based upon probability, where assumption isn’t.

So what kinds of things do I presume? A lot of my presumptions are based around people and their motives. I see someone act in a certain way and I presume I know their motives and what they are trying to accomplish. The biggest mistake that I think I and a lot of others make is that we presume others have sinister motives when they do something we see as mean or vindictive. Almost always, however, that other person doesn’t see their own activity that way at all. They see themselves as doing the good and noble thing. The righteous thing. The just thing. I presume they are being intentionally mean when they are just doing what they see as the right thing to do. The minefield comes when I act on my presumptions. When I ascribe those evil motives to the person and then respond in kind (righteously from my perspective and possibly evil from their perspective) then things blow up. BOOM! That, I think, is at least part of the minefield of presumption.

There’s no death wish like denial

Denial is one of those troubling things that we all fail into. From the addict that won’t admit her life is becoming unmanageable and she has to give up her substance of choice, to the person in the first step of the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance), denial of reality is something that is so tempting. Dealing with the reality of a situation can mean discomfort for us. But it will lock us up. It will hurt to admit weakness and deny ourselves.

Is there anything I’m denying? Is there anything I’m glossing over in the name of peace? I can think of one situation right now that is challenging to know how to address. The temptation is to just let it sit there and deny that it is a problem at all. But it is. I know it is. I know there is a train on the track and it’s possible for it to be addressed and headed into a healthier direction. But if I deny to myself that it’s something that needs to be addressed urgently then I will put it off until tomorrow. But at some point, tomorrow is too late. Maybe, when it comes to this particular situation, I do have a bit of a death wish if I stay in denial.

Father, help me to see situations accurately. Help me to gather facts and not make dangerous presumptions. And then, when I have discerned the truth, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Hymns and Songs

 

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“No Insult Like The Truth” by Charlie Peacock — No drug as strong as pride, no blindness like conceit

30 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

This is part of a series dissecting the song “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock. In the series, I am taking two of the statements he makes and exploring the depth of meaning behind them and what I can learn about myself in the process.

—

Dear God, in English classes in college I used to be critical of literary criticism (no pun intended) and think that people were intentionally trying to make something out of an author’s piece that the author never intended. Sometimes a rock is just a rock and not the hardness of my soul. I bring that up now because I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing that with this song. Am I taking things that aren’t there and putting them there. If Charlie were to read what I’ve written about this, would he fall over laughing and pity me? I don’t know. But I guess the reason I’m doing this isn’t because of what he intended in it, but to see if there is anything that the Holy Spirit has to say to me through these words that Charlie wrote down years ago. I suppose reading poetry and literature isn’t always about what the author intended to say. Sometimes it’s about what their words say to me.

There’s no drug as strong as pride

I think there are two things that give drugs their power. First, there is the effect they have on you and then there is the addiction they create to maintain that effect. So what does pride give me? What is the effect it has on me? One big thing I think it does is make me numb to the needs and feelings of others. If I am prideful then I don’t care how my actions impact others. Their feelings must be sacrificed for my pride, and if that’s not good enough for them then they can leave.

A few years ago, I heard a public figure who claimed to be a Christian say that he had never found a need to ask you for forgiveness. Well, dying to yourself and crucifying your pride is ground zero/step one for a Christian. If I don’t need your forgiveness then I don’t need Jesus. He wasted his time on me. Of course, that is ridiculous. But holding on to pride numbs me from how my actions impact everyone, including you.

I went to a presentation on how to administer a drug called Narcan, which will save someone suffering from an opioid overdoes. They compared the effect opioids have on your brain with the vacuum tubes that lotteries use for selecting lottery numbers. The vacuum tubes suck the ping pong balls onto themselves and don’t let go. Apparently, that is what our neurons do with opioids. They suck them onto themselves and don’t let go. This masks whatever that neuron is supposed to be communicating, including anxiety and pain. Narcan’s role is to come in and almost instantly knock all of those ping pong balls off of the vacuum tubes. Within about a minute, all of those neurons are instantly experiencing everything the opioid had been masking. They said that after you give someone Narcan, get out of the way because within 60 seconds they will be really alert and angry because all of the pain and/or anxiety will be back in an instant.

I think I could make the argument that pride is the same way. When I decide to come to the foot of your cross and die to it…When I decide to lay down my self and embrace your Spirit then I am going to allow myself to realize just how many people I have hurt. Unlike Narcan, I don’t think the effect is instant. It’s something the Holy Spirit gets to work on with me over time. I am still discovering ways in which I hurt others and disappoint you, even 40 years after my baptism. You are still refining me and pulling out the dross. But none of it starts until I make that first step. There is no drug as strong as pride.

There’s no blindness like conceit

As I stop and think about the word “conceit” I think about the political situation in our country–especially among non-politicians. The hypocrisy is epidemic, and it’s on both sides. There are moderates who can look at and evaluate people objectively, but it seems like the most vocal people, whether they are the media themselves or those who have a lot to say on social media, can’t see beyond whether or not the politician in question has an R or D next to their name. For example, Republicans were merciless towards Bill Clinton and his philandering (and alleged sexual assaults) in the 90s while Democrats defended him. Now, Democrats are all over President Trump for philandering and alleged sexual assaults while Republicans defend him. There is a conceitedness among both sides. They can’t admit weakness. They can’t show vulnerability. They also can’t extend love and mercy to someone with the wrong political letter (D or R) next to their name because their conceit blinds them from seeing the log in their own eyes or the eyes of those they support.

So that’s politics, but let’s bring it closer to home. What about me? Where does my conceit blind me? I know I judge others all of the time. I judge them for being shallow and making poor decisions. I judge them for not humbling themselves before you. I do it all out of conceit. I used to judge parents whose children were struggling until I went through parenting struggles of my own. Yes, as I said earlier, the Holy Spirit is still working on me and revealing my sin to me because my conceit makes me blind.

—

Father, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for my pride. I’m sorry for my conceit. I’m sorry for my pettiness and meanness that are really just symptoms of the shame that I try to numb with my pride. Administer the Narcan of the Holy Spirit to me. And as the absence of pride and conceit reveal the insecurities and pain that were being masked, please help me to heal.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 30, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Hymns and Songs

 

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“No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock — No parody like power, no fever like desire

29 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

This is part of a series dissecting the song “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock. In the series, I am taking two of the statements he makes and exploring the depth of meaning behind them and what I can learn about myself in the process.

Dear God, let me start by saying that I misunderstood what Charlie said in relation to “power.” I thought he said, “There’s no PARITY like power.” Obviously, this really changes the meaning, and I’m not sure my “parity” holds up except that this is a song about paradoxes and the idea that “power” and “parity” are more alike that we know is interesting to play with.

“There’s no parody like power”

But that’s not what it says (and I’ve checked several sources to make sure). “There is no parody like power.” When I think of “parody,” my first thoughts are of Saturday Night Live and the sketches they do. Not always, but often they are mocking people in power. Whomever the president happens to be at the time. Celebrities. Various politicians or business executives. They exercise power in different ways, and SNL delights in finding the joke in what they think of themselves. Maybe that’s the way to analyze power: the person with the power’s perception of themselves, and the perception of those who are influenced by their power.

“Power” is probably a more pervasive part of our lives than we realize. There are the obvious examples: politicians, bosses, etc. But then there are others like parents/guardians. But what we probably don’t think about enough is the slow burn that an emotionally abusive person does to someone else. My wife and I were on a long car ride yesterday for our vacation and we listened to a book she wanted me to hear. In it, the main character is a woman who was in an emotionally abusive marriage, and on the day she was ready to get in the car and leave her husband he ended up dying in a freak car accident. Later in the book, she is explaining to someone how mean he was to her even though everyone else in the world thought he was wonderful. I couldn’t help but wonder while we were driving if there is ANY part of me that makes my wife feel that way. Am I ANY different behind closed doors than I am in public? Of course, there are things she knows about me that no one else knows, but is my character different? How do I make her feel about herself? It’s the kind of question you ask yourself, but you’re almost afraid to say it out loud and ask your wife.

So what is the parody of that kind of power? Well, I suppose it’s the idea that it isn’t legitimate at all. That kind of power is derived through intimidation. But in the grand scheme of things, even if I am mean to my wife in order to either get my way or somehow make my insecure self feel better, what I have is nothing in the reality of the universe. Demons are still working. Satan still has his plans. I will still have to answer to you one day. And our time here is so, so short compared to eternity. Any power I would create for myself would be an absolute joke to you. Yes, from your perspective, I would imagine that there is, indeed, no parody like the power we create for ourselves. And you showed us what power really looks like through the servant leadership of Jesus. He gave guidance and taught people what they needed to know, but he also served and loved. He accepted the sinner, but also told them to sin no more. That kind of power is not a parody at all.

“There’s no fever like desire”

Of course, there are different kinds of “fever.” In this case, I think Charlie is referring to this definition of fever:

a state of nervous excitement or agitation.

“I was in a fever of expectation”

I am sure a lot of people have said this over the years, but I think I first heard C.S. Lewis say that the desiring of something can be more powerful and even fulfilling than the having of it. For example, in my life right now I am really wanting a new bicycle trainer that I can use indoors over the winter. At the end of the day, I’m probably looking at about $1,200 to $1,500 to get everything set up just the way I want it. I’ve spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos about what I want. I’ve looked at websites. I’ve watched commercials. I’ve talked to my local bike shop. I really want one of these things and I’m looking toward to the day when I can get one. But I can also say that the “desire” for this thing triggers something in my brain that pushes me forward. Do I need it? That’s debatable. If pressed, I could make a case for it. But I certainly “desire” this thing. It is a fever.

So how do I keep this fever for things, even power, from controlling me? How do I keep them from becoming my idol? How do I keep from looking to them for my happiness instead of you? Those are the important questions. And the answer is through self-discipline. Through intentionally denying myself or delaying my gratification. I have been looking at lot at Solomon lately. Maybe one of his problems was that he never put his “desire” in check and the more he accumulated the more he pursued. It is a “fever” that won’t break because the “desire” for something can be more powerful than actually having it.

—

Father, when it comes down to power and desire, part of me submitting my life to you is dying to these things. It is disciplining myself to spend time in worship of you and communing with you. Then, as the Holy Spirit finds good soil in my heart within which he can work, he will plant seeds in me that will grow. Those seeds will teach me to see the world and others as you see them. They will teach me that “power” is a “parody.” They will teach me that “desire” is a “fever” that must be broken. And then He will help me apply those lessons to my life. Oh, Holy Spirit, teach me gently.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 29, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Hymns and Songs

 

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“No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock – No lie like independence, no demon like control

27 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

This is part of a series dissecting the song “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock. In the series, I am taking two of the statements he makes and exploring the depth of meaning behind them and what I can learn about myself in the process.

Dear God, it’s time to dig in and spend some time with that.

Part 1: There’s no like like independence.

I looked up the definition of independence today. Of course, there were many. The basic idea, however, is that you are able to do it. Yourself. No accountability. No help. No need for help.

My first thought is to think of a child becoming an adult. Becoming independent. Of course, they want that independence long before they are ready for it. It’s probably the root of most of the conflicts that teen children have with their parents. Okay, children of all ages, including toddlers.

But here’s the secret. We are never independent. Unless we move to the woods, forage for our own food and build our own shelter with our bare hands (no tools made by someone else), we will always be in need of something that someone else does. Business people need customers and staff. They need suppliers and deals. Consumers need home builders/apartments, grocery stores, banks, etc. Just to live, we need community.

But on a deeper level, we all benefit from people who reach out and help us, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. My dad is very accomplished, but he is quick to tell anyone the long list of people who impacted his life and helped him achieve what he did. He didn’t do it “on his own” even though he would be considered a “self-made man.” For me in my life, beyond my parents, I have had several people who have blessed me and helped me over the years. As the director of a nonprofit, we depend on literally hundreds (actually over 1,000) of people every year to do what we do.

Then there’s you. I need you. I need the forgiveness and love that you give to me. I need the accountability. I need it for peace. I need it because a truly independent life is a lonely life.

Yes, I think it is fair to say that there is no lie like independence.

Part 2: There’s no demon like control.

What are the things I try to control? I try to control myself. In fact, one of the “fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23 is self-control. But good self-control is something that flows from being in right relationship with you and the Holy Spirit living in me. It isn’t something that I can will. Paul makes that clear in Romans 7:15-20.

What about controlling others. As I think about it this morning, I wonder if this is what is behind a lot of our current national angst. Is the reason a lot of us feel the need to put our opinions up so freely on social media because we are needing to feel like we can control something that we want to control. Do I want to control what is happening politically? Religiously? Socially? Is that Satan’s primary tool that he uses to divide us? Control?

I’m about to head out on vacation today. What kind of control will I try to exercise in the name of leisure? Will I try to dictate our schedule? Our driving route? Our menu and meals? What we listen to? Our conversation? And if I do, what kind of division will it cause between my wife and me and how much will Satan enjoy that?

That example can be applied to a lot of things. Control is selfishness–the root sin. Independence is it’s cousin.

—

Father, help me to die to myself enough to recognize that I am completely dependent upon you and others. Let my pride go by the wayside so that I might be a blessing to others instead. And help me to be part of building them up as well. Help me to go through the next week thinking about giving up control and enjoying the freedom you offer.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Galatians, Hymns and Songs, Romans

 

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“No Insult Like The Truth” by Charlie Peacock

26 Jul

“No Insult Like The Truth” By Charlie Peacock

I’ve run my ship aground
on the rocks of the soul
There’s no lie like independence
there’s no demon like control
I’ve fanned the burning embers
til my house was on fire
There’s no parody like power
There’s no fever like desire
I’ve drained the wine of darkness
to the dregs of deceit
There’s no drug as strong as pride
There’s no blindness like conceit
I’ve railed against the mountain
With a pickaxe and a file
There’s no minefield like presumption
There’s no death wish like denial

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

I’ve adjusted my prescription
til I couldn’t trust my vision
there’s no killer like convenience
there’s no sickness like omission
I’ve amended resolutions and resisted explanation
There’s no trap door like emotion
There’s no pit like reputation

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion
There’s no cancer like ambition
There’s no cure like crucifixion

There’s no gunshot like conviction
There’s no conscience bulletproof
There’s no strength like utter weakness
There’s no insult like the truth

Dear God, I can’t believe I’ve never journaled about this song before. When it came out, over 20 years ago, I thought about writing a companion book to go with it. My vision was a chapter title that would go with each little statement Charlie Peacock makes. For example, there would be a chapter called “There’s No Lie Like Independence.” Then I would explore the word “independence” and see what kind of truths there are in it. Frankly, it might horrify Charlie to think that someone took each word and phrase so seriously. I don’t know how carefully he picked each phrase in this song. But I think there’s a lot of depth to it.

With that being said, I think I want to do a series that will basically do a journal for each of the statements he makes. For tonight, let me write them here so I can see what I’m getting into:

  • There’s no like like independence.
  • There’s no demon like control.
  • There’s no parody like power.
  • There’s no fever like desire.
  • There’s no drug as strong as pride.
  • There’s no blindness like conceit.
  • There’s no minefield like presumption.
  • There’s no death wish like denial.
  • There’s no killer like convenience.
  • There’s no sickness like omission.
  • There’s no trap door like emotion.
  • There’s no pit like reputation.
  • There’s no cancer like ambition.
  • There’s no cure like crucifixion.
  • There’s no gun shot like conviction.
  • There’s no strength like utter weakness.
  • There’s no insult like the truth.

I’m about to spend the next 8 days on vacation and there are 16 of these here. I think what I’ll do is take them two at a time since that’s how Charlie groups them and then go from there. I hope this will be fun and I’ll get to hear your Holy Spirit speaking to me through this song I’ve heard so many times.

Father, before I close, I want to confess to you that I’ve not been as dependent upon or worshipful of you as I should have been lately. I’m sorry. I’ve taken credit for things that you have done. I’ve taken your glory for myself. I’m very sorry. Thank you. Thank you for everything good. Thank you for every struggle. My I always deflect any glory that comes my way and point others to you. You are amazing.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 26, 2019 in “No Insult Like the Truth” by Charlie Peacock, Hymns and Songs

 

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The Evolution of Worship Music (560-2017 A.D.)

15 Jul

The Evolution of Worship Music (560-2017 A.D.)

Dear God, the link above is to a YouTube video I saw on Facebook this morning. It got me to thinking about the thousands of years of worshippers of you with whom I’m linked.

First, I didn’t realize “Be Thou My Vision” is from 560 A.D. on my phone’s “Christian” playlist it is the first song. I only knew it was Irish because I heard Rich Mullins reference it once. Well, when I checked and say that St. Patrick did his thing in Ireland about 150 years before this, the timing of the writing of the hymn fits. So for nearly 1,500 years Christians have embraced the poetry of this song, asking you to be their vision.

One thing that these worship songs do is help us to build community. They give us words and thoughts to sing to you together with others and they give us a connection to other Christians, both of our own time and from past generations. “Amazing Grace.” “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” “Pass It On.” All of these songs join me with other Christians from around the world. In fact, the one thing that can be frustrating when I visit a church is when they either sing hymns I don’t know, sing different words to a familiar tune, or sing the words I know to a strange tune. In those moments, I’m looking for that comfort that comes from community.

Community. I could go on for a while about that, but I won’t here. Maybe that’s for another day. But Father, I do want to thank you for music. Thank you for the ones who wrote these songs to contribute to your kingdom. Thank you for teaching so many of them to me through community. Help me to carry them into my daily life and use them to bond me to the body of Christ.

I Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 15, 2019 in Hymns and Songs

 

“The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)” by Jars of Clay

16 Jun

“The Valley Song (Sing of Your Mercy)” by Jars of Clay

You have led me to the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised, nearly broken
I’m crying out to You

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear You aren’t listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

Songwriters: Aaron Sands / Charlie Lowell / Dan Haseltine / Matt Odmark / Stephen Daniel Mason

Dear God, this Father’s Day is less painful for me than past Father’s Days have been, but I still found myself being very aware this morning that Father’s Day and Mother’s Day can be very painful for some. I know several people who are experiencing their first Father’s Day without a child that they lost–some within just the last couple of weeks. I know some who have children leading lives that grieve their parents. Frankly, there are countless reasons Father’s Day can be painful for people, including having lost their own father.

With all of that in mind, I came across this song this morning. I’ve had it on my playlist for a long time, but I really stopped to listen to it while I was driving on a road trip earlier this week. I think it works because it doesn’t gloss over pain or tell me that my job is to push through to the other side. It simply says that sing of your mercy through my pain.

You have led me to the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised, nearly broken
I’m crying out to You

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

As I pray all of this to you, I am thinking about three friends, in particular, who are experiencing the grief of having lost a child in the last year. One of the things I learned when watching my wife go through the loss of her mother is to encourage people to allow themselves to be sad. Don’t try to be the person who is handing it “well.” Just let it be sad. For these friends, I sing these words this morning.

When death, like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear You aren’t listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

“But I fear you aren’t listening because there are no words. Just the stillness and the hunger for a faith that assures.” Sometimes, all we have is a faith that is beyond what we can see (Hebrews 11:1). And I believe that this is when we really have the Holy Spirit groaning for us with utterances beyond words. Our advocate and our helper is with us, walking with us, and praying for/with us (Romans 8:26).

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

I love that the spirit of this song is to simply sink into the pain and wait on your healing. And yet, in the midst of the pain, we keep singing. We sing of your mercy that leads us through valleys of sorrow to the rivers of joy. One day, there will be not just one river, but many rivers of joy for us. There is a hope. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2019 in Hebrews, Hymns and Songs, Romans

 

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“Home Free” by Wayne Watson

12 Jun

“Home Free” by Wayne Watson

I’m trying hard not to think you unkind
But Heavenly Father
If you know my heart
Surely you can read my mind
Good people underneath the sea of grief
Some get up and walk away
Some will find ultimate relief

Home Free, eventually
At the ultimate healing we will be Home Free
Home Free, oh I’ve got a feeling
At the ultimate healing
We will be Home Free

Out in the corridors we pray for life
A mother for her baby, A husband for his wife
Sometimes the good die young
It’s sad but true
And while we pray for one more heartbeat
The real comfort is with you

You know pain has little mercy
And suffering’s no respecter of age, of race or position
I know every prayer gets answered
But the hardest one to pray is slow to come
Oh Lord, not mine, but Thy will be done
Let it be…

Home Free, eventually
At the ultimate healing gonna be Home Free
Home Free, oh its more than a feeling
At the ultimate healing
Gonna be Home Free

Songwriters: Bernard Sumner / Gillian Lesley Gilbert / Peter Hook / Stephen Paul David Morris

Dear God, I think I first heard this song around 1992 or 1993. I was a sales rep for Word, the label for Wayne Watson at the time, and I remember being really struck by the words to this song. Now, 26-ish years later, I know it word for word. The amazing thing is how little death I have experienced from my family of origin. At 49, on my side of the family, I haven’t lost anyone beyond grandparents. My parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all still living. But I have watched my wife and her family suffer terrible and tragic losses. The hardest for her was her mother, but she only has one biological aunt remaining, having lost three uncles. Two of her cousins have lost children in horrible accidents. Tragic.

Then there are times when I read a Facebook post like this morning’s from a distant high school friend who lost her mother yesterday. She has simply posted this meme.

I know that’s so true after walking that path with my wife nine years ago–and even still today. So this prayer is for this high school friend, my wife, and everyone else I know who has experienced loss like this recently, including my friend who, last week, discovered his adult daughter, who had died overnight, and the other friend who lost her adult son in a car accident just last week.

Father, you are our ultimate comfort and hope. Help us to know what that means. Help my friends and my wife to discover that hope in a new way. Reveal to us your truth. And let us not forget that it’s okay for us to suffer in loss through death. Jesus suffered too when friends died. Something within us builds around them, and when they are removed it’s just huge. And obviously there’s nothing worse than a child or a parent dying, followed closely I would imagine by spouses and then siblings. Regardless, for these friends and my wife, please comfort them. Help them to just sink into your arms. They will mourn. They will be devastated. Help them to know that it’s okay. They don’t have to rationalize it. They don’t even have to try to convince themselves of the truth of this son so that they will “feel better.” Be their God. Help them to find their comfort in you through others around them.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 12, 2019 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Even If” by MercyMe

10 Jun

“Even If” by MercyMe

They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I’m losing bad
I’ve stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it’ll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can’t

It’s easy to sing
When there’s nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I’m held to the flame
Like I am right now

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now

But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You’d just say the word
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

You’ve been faithful, You’ve been good
All of my days
Jesus, I will cling to You
Come what may
‘Cause I know You’re able
I know You can

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You’d just say the word
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Songwriters: Bart Millard / Ben Glover / Crystal Lewis / David Garcia / Tim Timmons

Dear God, this song hits me on a few levels. Let’s just dive in. There’s obviously the part of a person struggling with life and trying to lean into you for comfort and provision. But then it starts with the aspect of the singer being a public minister who, to some extent, is putting on a show for people and trying to tell them to trust you while simultaneously experiencing his own doubts:

They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I’m losing bad
I’ve stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it’ll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can’t

It’s easy to sing
When there’s nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I’m held to the flame
Like I am right now

A few years ago, I was asked to preach for a friend at the local Episcopal church. What made it complicated was that my own family was going through a terrible time and I didn’t feel like I had a legitimate right to tell anyone how to live their life. I remember struggling with that and actually referencing it during the sermon.

On the other hand, the worst sermon I ever heard was a man who got up on Father’s Day in 2014 and talked about every good and correct thing he had done as a father and how great his kids had turned out. I cannot imagine that that sermon did anyone in the audience any good other than perhaps some young parents with infants who were looking for good parenting tips. I suspect that a lot of the rest of us were feeling condemned.

So I can appreciate the fact that this song puts it all on the table, and in a way that doesn’t share too much personally but helps the band communicate to the audience that there is this struggle in their own lives. It’s a little like Facebook and only seeing others’ best parts of their lives. It’s not appropriate for me to put a lot of personal information about me or family members on that platform, but it is important to somehow communicate to others that my life is as challenging as theirs is. That’s how we bless others and we all grow. That’s how we sharpen each other.

Then there is the other part of this song. The struggle. And I see two aspects of what it’s communicating. The first is the chorus when it basically says that sometimes the struggle is part of the intended journey.

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You’d just say the word
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

There was a song by Scott Krippayne back in the 90s called “Sometimes He Calms the Storm” that meant a lot to me. The chorus said, “Sometimes he calms the storm with a whispered, ‘Peace be still.’ He can settle any sea, but it doesn’t mean he will. Sometimes he holds us close as the wind and waves go wild. Sometimes he calms the storm, but other times he calms his child.” Same thing. Sometimes, the storm is part of the journey. Paul had to go through prison. Jesus had to go through the 40 days of fasting and then the temptation. As I look back, I am certainly a better man and more useful to you because of the experiences.

Finally, there’s the part about feeling like my faith in you just isn’t adequate. Do I really believe?

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now

I cannot count the number of times I’ve prayed to you, “Father, I believe. Help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:21-24). I wish my faith was greater. I really do. Thank you for loving me anyway.

Father, as I close this prayer, I guess I have three things I want to say. First, thank you for everything–the good and the bad. I know that you don’t necessarily cause the bad things to happen, but I am certain that you are my shepherd through them. Second, I promise to be as transparent as possible for the strengthening of not only my own soul, but so that the pain and struggle will not return void and others can be comforted or encouraged by me. And third, I promise to bring all of my faith to the table. I won’t leave anything back as I worship you and believe, not necessarily that you will calm my storm, but that you will use whatever I experience for your glory if I sacrifice it to you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 10, 2019 in Hymns and Songs, Mark

 

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Passion Week – The Resurrection of Christ: John 20:1-10

21 Apr

The above image is from Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups by Ned Bustard. It is titled “Christ Risen” and was created by Edward Knippers.

John 20:1-10 [ESV]
And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’s head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Dear God, I’m so grateful this morning. I’ve spent the week trying to sink into the depths of this Passion. Sure, I didn’t really go all the way. I had work. I had other things that took my attention. But I can say that this is likely the most thoughtful I’ve ever been about Holy Week. And here we are.

When I woke up this morning and made my breakfast, I played four songs. “Sunday’s on the Way” by Carman, “He’s Alive” by Don Francisco, “Easter Song” by Keith Green, and then “Gotta Tell Somebody” by Don Francisco. The first three were about Easter and Jesus’s resurrection in one way or another while the fourth was about a grateful father who just had to tell somebody what Jesus did for him. It was fun and worshipful. You are alive! And you have done great things for me.

Father do I “gotta tell somebody?” Have I counted my blessings and shared your greatness and mercy with others? Do I live with the joy that you are alive? Help me to do better. Live through me. Love through me. Let you kingdom come and your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 21, 2019 in Hymns and Songs, John, Passion Week, Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups, Uncategorized

 

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