I've been struck recently by a line from Daniel 3, "But even if he doesn't [save us], we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
I know the "Even If" movement is not young - it's been a catch phrase for lots of different Christian movements, printed on shirts, bracelets, etc... I'm just a whole lot late.
But today - today... I definitely empathize with this song. "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." Oh how well do I know this feeling. The last few weeks as I've stood on stage... I've been reminded that I have no business being up front leading. But the reality is, do any of us? There is none that is worthy, no not one.
Right then is when Daniel and his friends are saying "Even if"...
"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."
Even in the middle of the broken, even in the middle of the pain that seems unbearable. Even then. Even if you don't. I will still choose You, Jesus. My hope is still in You.
It is well with my soul. Not just even when I am broken... but especially when I am broken. It is well with my broken soul. Because I am broken for Jesus.
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
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Bart Millard / Ben Glover / Crystal Lewis / David Garcia / Tim Timmons
Even If lyrics © Music Services, Inc
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Defender - Rita Springer
"When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart"
Some days you just need the reminder that God knows where you are, knows where all your pieces are, and wants to put you back together.
"All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still"
Today was one of those days, where I think I didn't know where to go, where I was, what I was doing, who I was... And instead of curling up in a corner and crying like I wanted to, I pulled down the guitar off the wall and sat down with some worship music and just praised God. Just stay still, worship.
"Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better this way"
So much better HIS way.
You go before I know
That You've gone to win my war
You come back with the head of my enemy
You come back and You call it my victory
You go before I know
That You've gone to win my war
Your love becomes my greatest defense
It leads me from the dry wilderness
All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
You know before I do
Where my heart can seek to find Your truth
Your mercy is the shade I'm living in
You restore my faith and hope again
All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better this way
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
All I did was praise
All I need to do is worship
Lord I will just bow down
I'm just gonna stay still
Source: Musixmatch
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart"
Some days you just need the reminder that God knows where you are, knows where all your pieces are, and wants to put you back together.
"All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still"
Today was one of those days, where I think I didn't know where to go, where I was, what I was doing, who I was... And instead of curling up in a corner and crying like I wanted to, I pulled down the guitar off the wall and sat down with some worship music and just praised God. Just stay still, worship.
"Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better this way"
So much better HIS way.
You go before I know
That You've gone to win my war
You come back with the head of my enemy
You come back and You call it my victory
You go before I know
That You've gone to win my war
Your love becomes my greatest defense
It leads me from the dry wilderness
All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
You know before I do
Where my heart can seek to find Your truth
Your mercy is the shade I'm living in
You restore my faith and hope again
All I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better this way
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, great Defender
So much better Your way
All I did was praise
All I need to do is worship
Lord I will just bow down
I'm just gonna stay still
Source: Musixmatch
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Great Are You, Lord - All Sons & Daughters
Sometimes simple songs with a few lyrics make a bigger impression on me. Sometimes contexts when I have heard a song make a bigger impression on me. And sometimes, those two things collide, and a song takes on a power bigger than anything could be by itself.
My first weekend leading worship officially was Dec 31, 2016. Why do I know that date? Because my father unexpectedly passed on Dec 29... and two days later I chose to lead worship (lest some of you get after my worship pastor for allowing me to lead, it was very much my choice, not something he forced me to do). You see, our church is very much our family. While grieving, I needed to be with my family.
On that Saturday night we led this song. And the words took on a new meaning, as I thought about the fact that God is the one who "gives life" and "restores the hearts that are broken". As I watched my father in the hospital, I watched machines put oxygen into his lungs for him. And I had the choice - do I praise God in the midst of the pain, or do I get mad and try to take control? How do I use the breath that God has put into my lungs? Do I pour it out in praise? Do I allow him to pour new life into my lungs, and restore my heart that has been broken? Or do I wallow in the pain?
Please don't get me wrong - I am not advocating for not feeling, or not grieving. I was truly broken in that moment. The loss was huge. But the opportunity to be very real, broken, and still praising God is what sped me on my journey towards healing and grieving well. Finding the way to praise in the middle of pain is finding the way towards God. To recognize that He is so much bigger than me, and knows so much more, can comprehend so much more.
"And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord"
You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only
And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Leonard / Jason Ingram / Leslie Jordan
Great Are You Lord lyrics © Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group
My first weekend leading worship officially was Dec 31, 2016. Why do I know that date? Because my father unexpectedly passed on Dec 29... and two days later I chose to lead worship (lest some of you get after my worship pastor for allowing me to lead, it was very much my choice, not something he forced me to do). You see, our church is very much our family. While grieving, I needed to be with my family.
On that Saturday night we led this song. And the words took on a new meaning, as I thought about the fact that God is the one who "gives life" and "restores the hearts that are broken". As I watched my father in the hospital, I watched machines put oxygen into his lungs for him. And I had the choice - do I praise God in the midst of the pain, or do I get mad and try to take control? How do I use the breath that God has put into my lungs? Do I pour it out in praise? Do I allow him to pour new life into my lungs, and restore my heart that has been broken? Or do I wallow in the pain?
Please don't get me wrong - I am not advocating for not feeling, or not grieving. I was truly broken in that moment. The loss was huge. But the opportunity to be very real, broken, and still praising God is what sped me on my journey towards healing and grieving well. Finding the way to praise in the middle of pain is finding the way towards God. To recognize that He is so much bigger than me, and knows so much more, can comprehend so much more.
"And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord"
You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only
And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Leonard / Jason Ingram / Leslie Jordan
Great Are You Lord lyrics © Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group
Thursday, September 5, 2019
You Redeem - Aaron Shust
This song was playing a couple weeks ago before church as the preservice music while the worship team was meeting to pray and get prepared to lead the service. I was trying to pray, and got totally distracted by the words that I know well... it's not a song I'd never heard, it was just the first time I had heard it in this way.
"You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem"
That thing in your life that feels like it can't possibly ever be good. Like it is miserable for everyone and will never possibly amount to anything good. That thing. That's what God is talking about when He says that He can redeem even the worst possible thing. God can restore what has been stolen from you, reclaim, release and rebuild.
Where do you need God's redemption in your life right now? Is it chronic pain? A relationship that is fractured and feels beyond repair? An addiction? The end of a marriage? The daily grind of a job that feels meaningless and impossible? God can and will redeem. And while His timing for that may not feel as fast as I want it, I remain confident in the fact that He is the redeemer. It is not me.
"Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Here in your presence lost in Your Love
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Wrecked by Your presence I'm lost in Your Love"
May you find yourself wrecked by His presence and lost in His love.
Poverty loses its grip
Race can no longer divide
Wherever your spirit is
Every darkness dies
Freedom is here with us
Burdens will fall like chains
Beauty will rise from the dust
All that's lost will be regained
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem
Mercy will pour down like rain
Justice will come for the weak
Lies that were meant to defame
Will be crushed by the the truth that you speak
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Here in your presence lost in Your Love
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Wrecked by Your presence I'm lost in Your Love
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem, You redeem
Let Your revival awaken me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild what's been broken in me
You redeem
You redeem
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Aaron Shust / Seth Mosley / Matthew Hammitt
You Redeem lyrics © Matt Hammitt Music, Songs For Fcm
"You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem"
That thing in your life that feels like it can't possibly ever be good. Like it is miserable for everyone and will never possibly amount to anything good. That thing. That's what God is talking about when He says that He can redeem even the worst possible thing. God can restore what has been stolen from you, reclaim, release and rebuild.
Where do you need God's redemption in your life right now? Is it chronic pain? A relationship that is fractured and feels beyond repair? An addiction? The end of a marriage? The daily grind of a job that feels meaningless and impossible? God can and will redeem. And while His timing for that may not feel as fast as I want it, I remain confident in the fact that He is the redeemer. It is not me.
"Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Here in your presence lost in Your Love
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Wrecked by Your presence I'm lost in Your Love"
May you find yourself wrecked by His presence and lost in His love.
Poverty loses its grip
Race can no longer divide
Wherever your spirit is
Every darkness dies
Freedom is here with us
Burdens will fall like chains
Beauty will rise from the dust
All that's lost will be regained
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem
Mercy will pour down like rain
Justice will come for the weak
Lies that were meant to defame
Will be crushed by the the truth that you speak
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Here in your presence lost in Your Love
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
The plans of our enemy ruined undone
Miracles will happen
Healing will come
Wrecked by Your presence I'm lost in Your Love
You redeem, You redeem
You restore what's been stolen from me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild with the words that You breathe
You redeem, You redeem
Let Your revival awaken me
You reclaim, You release
You rebuild what's been broken in me
You redeem
You redeem
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Aaron Shust / Seth Mosley / Matthew Hammitt
You Redeem lyrics © Matt Hammitt Music, Songs For Fcm
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)