This song is nothing resembling new, but for some reason I stumbled upon it a few nights ago and haven't been able to shake it. It feels so much like my story - too many bullet holes, knowing it would take a miracle. The voices from the past poisoning my present, silencing what is inside of me.
But my story is only now beginning
Don't try to write my ending
Nobody gets to sing my song
That last line: nobody gets to sing my song. It gets me every time. Do you hear it as nobody gets to sing my song? or that nobody gets to sing my song. Nobody but me and Jesus gets to sing our song. The story is only just beginning, the story to come is even bigger, even better. The ending to this song is yet to be written because I've turned the pen over to the author of life, the author of the greatest story ever told.
This is the sound of surviving
This is my farewell to fear
This is my whole heart deciding
I'm still here, I'm still here
And I'm not done fighting
This is the sound of surviving
I'm deciding I'm still here, and I'm not done fighting. This is the sound of surviving.
Have you ever been in a place where ending your story felt like a good idea? Like the story was over, that you should remove yourself from the story? Friends, I know the depth of that pain. I have been there. Can I tell you that your story isn't over yet?
I'm still here
Say it to the ache, lying there awake
Say it to your tears
I'm still here
Say it to the pain, say it to the rain
Say it to your fear
Say it. Over and over. I'm still here. God is still here. I can survive and get through this. Because God has put a strength in me that is bigger than I knew. And when you come out on the other side you will be stronger because of it. Those pieces that left you bleeding, that were intended for your pain will become the gift. A marker, a place to look back and see what God has brought you through. You can't see it now. But reach out. There are those around you that can. God created us to be together. Call someone. Call a friend. Call a family member. Call me. Make the decision to be here.
This is my whole heart deciding
I'm still here, I'm still here
And I'm not done fighting
Decide today. Be still here. And don't give up fighting. It's not the end. It's only the beginning.
What are you hiding from God thinking he won't see it? What does your shame keep you shackled to? What do you cover up hoping that God doesn't realize that was you? Where are you locked up? Do you know Who holds the key?
Come out of hiding
You're safe here with me
There's no need to cover
What I already see
Where do you need to hear God's truth? That He rose from the grave thinking of you.
'Cause I loved you before you knew it was love
And I saw it all, still I chose the cross
And you were the one that I was thinking of
When I rose from the grave
The truth, friends: He loved you before you knew that what you were feeling was love. He still chose the cross, knowing you - all of you. The you that you know and no one else does.
Now rid of the shackles, my victory's yours
I tore the veil for you to come close
There's no reason to stand at a distance anymore
You're not far from home
Possibly the most poignant part of the Easter story for me is not actually the resurrection - it's the tearing of the veil in the holy of holies. The more I have thought about this the more earth shattering I find this fact. In Old Testament times the veil in the temple was there to protect US from GOD. Because we were not good enough. We couldn't be perfect. Our sin that kept us from perfect relationship with God (as in early Genesis Adam and Eve experienced) was kept separate from God to protect us. With Jesus's death and the tearing of the veil we are able to enter into His presence freely. He is no longer contained to a small room, but rather He is now everywhere. Because those things that you are trying so desperately to hide from God are already paid for. There is no need to clean up to enter the presence of God. We can draw close to Him now.
And oh as you run
What hindered love
Will only become
Part of the story
May the parts of your story that have held you back from His love become just that - part of the story, and not feel like the whole story. But don't quit running to the Father. You're almost home.
I don't think I'd be alone with saying that this has been a long hard year. It's a year that will definitely be remembered by future generations, a year that has stretched many of us to the furthest we thought we could go and then just a little bit (or a lot bit) further.
And in the end, the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
I am struck by this line. In the end the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again. I have watched people divide over different positions, different political viewpoints, different interpretations of data, different skin color, different experiences... and I'm left wondering what does God call us to? You see, as Christians we are caught in the palms of God: the giver of love and the Lover of all. The tears and heartbreak are caught and collected by a God who loves us and wants to take care of us. And He does that because He loves all people, and wants to see all people become more like Him.
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
What a promise. That we can look back on the tears as old tales. I'm not there yet with a lot of my tears. Some from the last year, many from further back. But my prayer for you today is that no matter where you are with your tears that you remember that in the end there is oceans and oceans of love for you - as you are now, as you will be in the future. That someday these tears will be old tales. And then that you take that love that has been poured out on you and share it with someone else who needs to hear that they are loved, imperfect as they are, by a perfectly loving God.
After the last tear falls, after the last secret's told
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
After the last child starves and the last girl walks the boulevard
After the last year that's just too hard
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
After the last disgrace, after the last lie to save some face
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue
After the last dirty politician, after the last meal down at the mission
After the last lonely night in prison
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
And in the end, the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'Cause after the last plan fails, after the last siren wails
After the last young husband sails off to join the war
After the last, this marriage is over
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
And in the end, the end is oceans and oceans of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'Cause after the last tear falls there is love
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Andrew Peterson / Andrew David Osenga
Where do you find yourself this morning? Are you hiding in the upper room too afraid to go to the tomb? Are you racing with Peter to the tomb? Were you up with the women, finding the tomb empty and running back to tell the others? Are you doubting the report because you weren't there?
And let your heart believe
He is not dead,
He is risen
Risen indeed
Let your heart believe. Without seeing. Without touching. Let your heart believe. I believe our hearts know the truth of this beautiful morning...without having seen it. What will you do with it? Will you race to tell the others? Will you wait at the tomb to hear the gentle words Jesus speaks to you?
Mary, the sun will rise again
Mary, the sun will rise again
Daughter, listen, listen
Daughter listen
He speaks your name
Listen...He speaks your name. Let yourself be loved, seen, and spoken to by name. He is not dead, He is risen. Risen indeed!
And so the winter dies with a blast of icy wind Like a mournful cry, it's giving up the ghost again Another sheet of snow melts away to gold and green Look at Peter go, he's racing to the tomb to see
Where has my Jesus gone? He is not dead He is risen Risen indeed
And now the flowers bloom like a song of freedom Behold the earth is new, if only for the season And so the seed that died for You becomes a seedling Just put your hand into the wound that bought your healing
And let your heart believe He is not dead, He is risen Risen indeed
And the rain will fall on the furrow It immerses the earth in sorrow Mary, the sun will rise again Mary, the sun will rise again Daughter, listen, listen Daughter listen He speaks your name
And Father Abraham could not have dreamed of this Could never understand the end of all those promises How all the pieces fit, every star and grain of sand Is safely hid in Jesus' hand
Let every tongue confess
He is not dead He is risen, risen He is not dead He is risen Risen indeed
Oh Mary, the sun will rise again Mary, the sun will rise again Daughter, listen, listen Daughter listen He speaks your name
