The words:

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know
This weakness I feel I must finally show

Lend me your hand and we’ll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I’ll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free
Har har, har har, har har, har har

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
Where you invest your love, you invest your life
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
Where you invest your love, you invest your life

Awake my soul, awake my soul
Awake my soul
You were made to meet your Maker
Awake my soul, awake my soul
Awake my soul
You were made to meet your Maker
You were made to meet your Maker

As I’ve discovered with other songs in focus for this intermittent series, we cannot go too far in asserting God’s awesomeness. (Nor can we sing too loudly!) As Tozer writes, “We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.”

Let’s get preoccupied with God today with the words from Your Love is Strong…

The song begins with the Lord’s Prayer (or the Disciples’ Prayer as we might call it, from Matthew 6:9-15):

Heavenly Father, You always amaze me
Let Your Kingdom come
In my world and in my life
You give me the food I need
To live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive
The people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
And deliver me from the evil one

A meditation with a question:

The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town
And the Kingdom of the Heavens
Is buried treasure
Will you sell yourself
To buy the one you’ve found?

Make it personal — what we all need to ask aloud:

So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
He knows what I need

The Chorus reminds us of God’s perfections:

Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

Back to more Truth:

Oh God, there are two things You told me:
That You are strong
And You love me
Yes, You love me

Love the cadence of final prayer, formed around the Lord’s Prayer:

Oh, God in Heaven
Hallowed be
Thy name above all names
Your Kingdom come
Your will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us, weary sinners
Lead us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons

Watch or listen to it recorded live:

Behind the Song:

“I’ll never forget sitting with my wife and listening to Jon Foreman’s ‘Spring EP.’ This song came on, and Liz looked at me, “You will record this song!” I do what my wife says, and many others at Ecclesia began to politely demand the same thing. It’s become such a prayer of forgiveness and hope for us and others as we sing it every night. I’m grateful for a powerful song, a powerful kingdom mindset in the Lord’s prayer and for the chance to rework the music and have this be a part of our new album.” —Robbie Seay

—
Produced by Tedd T. and Robbie Seay | Additional Production by Taylor Johnson || Written by Jon Foreman | © 2008 Publishing Schmublishing Publishing (ASCAP) || Additional Lyrics, “The Doxology” Traditional, Public Domain

Each song is resonating in my soul, and yesterday afternoon “Let Our Faith Be Not Alone” rocked my world.

Some of the lyrics:

Oh God, You are a mystery
We crowd the streets in hopes to see
The Son of Man before our eyes
His holiness uncompromised
Oh God, we have a history
The saints who told of Calvary
And the martyrs who laid down their lives
For the cause of Christ were sacrificed

Let our faith be not alone
May our hearts be not of stone
Give us souls that never close
To the grace that You bestow
May our eyes be quick to see
You are here
You’ve come to rescue me

Watch or listen…

Behind the Song:

“I don’t endorse daydreaming while driving—bad combination. But sometimes, while driving my old beat up SUV, I am suddenly halfway through writing a lyric before I even realize what is happening. These times are rare, and I wish all my songs came as quickly. ‘Let Our Faith Be Not Alone’ was a song that showed up in full force at my great surprise. By the time I arrived at home, the lyric began to take shape and as I often do in a house full of crazy little ones, I grabbed my guitar, headed to the bathroom and locked the door. I don’t have a fancy studio, but the acoustics around my tub are fantastic! The song quickly became a prayer for our church, one that reminds us of the history of our faith– the martyrs and the saints, the thousands of years of the Church sharing the hope and good news of the gospel, the reformation. God is here to rescue us now just as He has done for a very long time.” —Robbie Seay

—
Produced by Tedd T. and Robbie Seay | Additional Production by Taylor Johnson | Written by Robbie Seay, Tedd Tjornhom, Taylor Johnson, and Ryan Owens | © 2010 Birdwing Music (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing) (ASCAP) | Everything H (BMI)

Shaun gives six non-earth shattering reasons why they dropped cable: time, people, morality, money, silence, and happiness.

For #3 he gives an appropriate analogy:

“Imagine I took in a house guest. And let’s say that guest regularly told my kids I was stupid, hung pictures of half-naked women up on the walls, constantly told my kids the opposite of what I told them and routinely asserted that God is a liar.  How long would it take me to kick that guest out of my house and change the locks?”

Now, there is much good on TV. But much of what we can learn there we can learn through other media avenues — including the web, print journalism, books (yes!), and good old conversation.

We’ve never had cable in our young family, and I can say we don’t miss the tube (that much). Sports games? … Invite myself over to a friends’ home, and bring some bean dip.

(Download Shaun Groves’ single “Kingdom Coming,” — he comments that he hopes this free song ends up costing you everything!

Here’s the fourth song of this series of reflecting on great God-centered lyrics, Songs of Sovereignty. The last one had the same title, “You Never Let Go.” This second song of the same name is completely different (except for the link of suffering—joy), and comes from the David Crowder*Band.

If I could own only one album it would probably be DCB’s Can You Hear Us? This song comes from their latest release, Remedy, a close second favorite.

I remember first hearing of DCB as simply the UBC Band, that is the University Baptist Church (Waco, TX) worship band. A friend had a cd with songs like “The Heights,” “The Color Song,” “Light my Eyes, ” and one that totally resonates with my soul, “All I Can Say.”

One thing I appreciate about the DCB’s music is the lyrics make you think God’s truth, and the arrangement draws you to know this truth experientially. I don’t know enough about music to tell you if they break the rules, are original, or even play on/off key. All I know is that when Kari asked me last when have I encountered God’s presence the most, I thought back of dozens of times crying in the car as I worshiped through pain to the God-centered words of the DCB. For me, thinking about theology, encountering the words of the Bible, coming as face-to-face with Christ as we can in this life — those are the places I see Christ the most. This broken world makes the most sense when seen threw new eyes. The DCB helps me to see better. How? They point me past themselves, which is probably what I appreciate about them the most. They aren’t concerned with impressing you, me, or God. Christ has already impressed the Father. (The band has a silly side too, as seen in their rockumentary, “twitter_will_kill_you.”)

As for the song, “You Never Let Go,” the part that resonates with my soul the most is near the end:

Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, what love, oh, what love
In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You’re the same
Oh, You never let go

Truth satiates our souls and takes us past ourselves to see that more is going on in our trials that we ever realized. God is for us, for if we are in Christ we see that His was all the joy, AND all the pain, He went through the sun and the rain (which perhaps could be a reminder that neither is enjoying to an extreme: the rhythm of seasons makes for life.) Exploring the mysterious union of joy and pain will no doubt become a great part of our learning for all eternity. IN any event, through every event, God the Creator is the same. His Love never fails, His promises always come true, and His hands will hold us through everything.

You Never Let Go

When clouds veil sun
And disaster comes
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rise
And hope takes flight
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul

Ever faithful
Ever true
You I know
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go

When clouds brought rain
And disaster came
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rose
And hope had flown
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul

Oh, my soul
Overflows
Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, my soul
Fills hope
Perfect love that never lets go

Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, what love, oh, what love
In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You’re the same
Oh, You never let go

You’ll notes echoes of Psalm 23 even from the first line. This song connects the heart, the mind, and speaks to them both while moving past self to sing to God: He’s the reason He never lets go. We must speak this truth to ourselves repeatedly. Perhaps we tend to think that it is because of our steadfast faith that God doesn’t abandon us. Nope. It is because of His faithfulness to the Covenant with His Son Jesus. Psalm 23 is primarily about Jesus, not us. And since it is about Him, it can be about us.

You Never Let Go

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Chorus

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Chorus (2x)

Around 6:40 into the song (see video below) Kim Walker challenges those gathered to experience the love of God. It’s a powerful time, as one can tell the whole crows amped. “You better brace yourselves …” Walker exclaims. Then the song continues. Thinking about that moment, they could have pointed out that the love of God is not a feeling, or even an ecstatic experience. God’s love is emotionally fulfilling, experientially pleasing. But it doesn’t end there. Rather, the love of God is a Person. His name is Jesus. He came to show us the full weight of God’s great love for His people. If we truly desire people to experience the love of God — not just at one venue, in one hour of supposed worship, we must point past ourselves and then to the only One worthy: Jesus.

Consider the love God shows His people, contra-conditional, despite our lack of obedience and especially no-desire for God. Oh, how He loves … in ways we don’t deserve!

How He Loves

He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by Glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me

Oh how He loves us, so
Oh How He loves us, how He loves us so

He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by Glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us, how He loves us so

Yeah He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves

We are his portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So, heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves

Yeah, He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves

Originally by John Mark McMillan (hear the story behind the song here, who incidentally grew up with the lead guitarist of the band who performed the first song in this series).

Sung by Kim Walker (of Jesus Culture) on the album “We Cry Out.”

While some of the songs will be well-known (new and old), let’s start with a yet-to-be-recorded song by one of my favorite bands. (This is also the only band in this “Song of Sovereignty” that I know personally.) Rend the Heavens came out West from Nashville a year+ ago. Aaron (& Jillian), Matt & Sarah, and Luke are awesome lovers of God, and true friends.

Their song “Oh Mystery,” has yet to debut on an album — maybe the next one? Here are the God-centered words, followed by a grainy video of them playing it live earlier this year.

While I won’t try to interpret the intentions behind the song, consider the opening line, “Who could ever know You? Bright as the sun, Invisible One.” Deposit that line in the middle of contemporary spirituality were we are told that each of us has valid claims on truth, that we should empty our minds and label whatever appears as “god.” No, revelation that has come straight from God — in a Book and in a Bod — the Scriptures and Jesus. Who could ever know the Creator? (Only those He discloses Himself to, by special revelation.) It is a mystery how He could invite us to the Story. As if we could wrestle with the depths of the truth, love and beauty the spring from all He is. He has invited us, we can come, and while we tend to come full of ideas and logic, in a true encounter we shall exclaim, “Oh Mystery! Always wanted Your chains holding me. Tell me something that I can’t believe, but fills my heart.” Thanks to Rend the Heavens for writing us God-centered music we can enjoy and sing along. Reminds me of how we will never stop learning of the kindness God has shown believers in Christ — Oh Mystery.

Oh Mystery

Who could ever
know You?
Bright as the sun
Invisible One
The hands that
made the heavens
What can I say?
I’m turning away
But I can see
You reaching out
See the light coming
through that door
Oh Mystery
Always wanted your
chains holding me
Tell me something
that I can’t believe
But fills my heart

Oh Mystery
How can it be?
That the darkness,
the poison in me
Turns to light and tastes
beautiful and free

Oh Mystery
Everything is holy
God of darkness
God of the light
You know what’s
deep inside me

Frozen with fear
I’m trembling here
But I can see
You reaching out
See the light coming
through that door
Oh Mystery
Always wanted your
chains holding me
Tell me something
that I can’t believe
But fills my heart

Oh Mystery
How can it be?
That the darkness,
the poison in me
Turns to light and tastes
beautiful and free

Oh Mystery

I hear the sound
of angels singing “Holy!”
The living creatures joining
I hear the sound
of pardoned
sinners shouting
and every knee
is bowing
I can hear them sing
I can hear them sing

Oh Mystery
Always wanted your
chains holding me
Tell me something
that I can’t believe
But fills my heart

Oh Mystery
How can it be?
That the darkness,
the poison in me
Turns to light and tastes
beautiful and free

Oh Mystery

Perhaps you know the Song of Hope. A year ago I came across their album Give Yourself Away and its tracks have been regular tunes in my brain ever since. Click any of the links to hear the songs on that album, or better yet …

• Download Give Yourself Away for free by spreading the word
  

The uncanny thing for me is that a week ago I was thinking that it would be awesome to teach that song to our people, especially as I taught/preached on The Devoted Church on Acts 2:36-47. So Tuesday morning I emailed  Aaron, our Creative Director who was planning the worship service. Can we try this song?

He walked into the office for our creative team planning meeting and laughed — he already had the song in there. We’ve never sung it as a church before. It was purely awesome to sing together. People where engaged, being drawn out of normal patterns of singing. Give yourself away.

Song of Hope

by the Robbie Seay Band

All things bright and beautiful You are
All things wise and wonderful You are
In my darkest night, You brighten up the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

All things new
I can start again
Creator, God
Calling me Your friend
Sing praise, my soul
To the Maker of the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

Hallelujah, sing
Hallelujah, sing
Hallelujah, sing

The band’s name Rend the Heavens comes from Isaiah 64:1:

"Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence"

It is an audacious prayer, asking to see and partake of God’s glory. Asking to participate with the Godhead is a deathwish, unless we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus the Son. He had to come to us, and for that reason Christianity can never be rightly called a "religion" (as those are our attempts to gain God’s favor). He did it all. He is all.

Because God the Son has come, we can say that Love has come, with His eyes of fire, face of light, heart of love, throne of white, hands of pain and tears of blood. No description can do the One of infinite worth justice.

But to sing from the depths of our hearts and minds, is to echo the angelic chorus that Jesus Christ is everything, for all things come from Him, by Him, and exist for Him (Colossians 1:15-21). Some people probably think that Jesus fits into our tiny little lives, like the lucky rabbit feet us silly kids used to keep in our pockets. The opposite can only be true: we fit into His life and story, and nothing can contain His worth. As John’s Gospel notes in the epilogue, if we were to write down all the things He did while on earth it would fill all the books on the planet (John 21:25). And that was just three decades of earthly existence, and roughly three years of public ministry. He has forever been God, having no beginning and no end. Forever we will learn of the greatness of His worth and grace, never arriving at the end of exploring them (Eph. 2:7).

It is utterly amazing to me that God came as a Man. That He humbled Himself to our level, not striving for empty glory as we do, but rather emptying His glory to take the form of a willing servant, giving His life for us (Phil. 2:5-11). Does that not astonish you? If it doesn’t, then you’re not alive; even if you can feel the pulse in your arm, you’re still dead in your sins (Eph. 2:1-10). A heart and mind that can now seek God wants Him more. He came to purchase us back from sin, Satan and self, and with that comes a new identity and new affections. Since we’re His, we can seek Him. Since we are His, we want to seek Him. Come, enter in and enjoy God to the fullest. Forever we will sing of how great the Son is; let’s join in today. We have no idea what we’re missing.

Son of God (title track from their 2006 EP )

Love has come here
Lift up your hands, receive
Hope is free
Just believe
Eyes of fire, Face of light
Heart of love, Throne of white
Hands of pain, Tears of blood
Son of God

Love is in Your Eyes

Lift up my face to see
Hope is free
Just believe
Eyes of fire, Face of light
Heart of love, Throne of white
Hands of pain, Tears of blood
Son of God

Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy Kingdom come

Thy Will be done
Thy Kingdom come

You bore my pain, You wore my flesh
And in Your Eyes is nothing less

Than perfect Love, Tears of blood
Son of God

For some background theology on the album see Jonathan Dodson’s intro and sermon series related to it (like "Waiting: The Lofty and the Lowly ").

The title is awesome; reminds me of how desperate and needy we are (through appearing self-sufficient like an engine), hoping and "waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:13-14 ).

You can download their latest album free // www.telescopemusic.com

—

Most days I also tune into Chase the Age as well.

Chorus:
Beautiful Savior
Wonderful King [2x]

Bridge:
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Love of Heaven now
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Love of Heaven now
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Oh, wonderful sound

Chorus [3x]

—
The David Crowder Band, on their Can You Hear Us? album (2002)

It’s called “The Glory of it All” from their latest album Remedy.

The lyrics are loaded with theology of God’s glory, His redemptive love, our worth in His light and His willingness and ability to repair all things…

(glory = weight, worth, value. I see our lives as needing to display the weight of God’s infinite worth. Everything He does displays, or will one day reveal, His infinite worth in Christ, for our good and everlasting joy.)

The Glory Of It All
At the start
He was there
He was there
In the end
He’ll be there
He’ll be there
And after all
Our hands have wrought
He fogives

Oh, the glory of it all
Is He came here
For the rescue of us all
That we may live
For the glory of it all
Oh, the glory of it all

All is lost
Find Him there
Find Him there
After night
Dawn is there
Dawn is there
And after all
Falls apart
He repairs
He repairs

Oh, He is here
With redemption from the fall
That we may live
For the glory of it all
Oh, the glory of it all

After night
Comes a light
Dawn is here
Dawn is here
It’s a new day, a new day
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same

Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same

—
Oh the beauty and worth of the infinite God Almighty, Father, Son and Spirit!

My gracious Master and my God
Assist me to proclaim
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name

So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
Jesus

Jesus, the name that charms [calms] our fears
That bids our sorrows cease
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears
‘Tis life and health and peace

He breaks the power of cancelled sin
He sets the prisoners free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me

He speaks and listening to His voice
New life and dead receive
The mournful broken hearts rejoice
The humble poor believe

Glory to God and praise and love
Be ever, ever giv’n
By saints below and saints above
The church in earth and Heav’n

There are so few words
That never grow old
There are so few words
That never grow old
JESUS

—
Original hymn penned by Charles Wesley
Adapted and arranged by the David Crowder Band

Here are the lyrics:

All things bright and beautiful You are
All things wise and wonderful You are
In my darkest night, You brighten up the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

All things new
I can start again
Creator, God
Calling me Your friend
Sing praise, my soul
To the Maker of the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

• Download this song for free at the band’s promo site freeRSB.com.

The eighth song on the album is “Stay.” It begins:

Hope is the call
That is ringing in my soul
But I can’t pretend that I see
Much light in front of me

The blindness in the fog, to not be able to comprehend the light, must be overcome. God, you must intervene — You are our only Hope! And the verse in the middle of the song that struck me so distinctly is this one:

Pride is the friend
Who betrays me in the end
Stealing joy, as it goes
Leaves me longing for a home

How true! I find that my greatest sin is pride. All of my sins come from my pride, my self-sufficiency and self-reliance. It is the “far idol” that stands behind my “near idols” (to borrow a phrase from Tim Keller). It is the supposed “friend,” which of course does nothing by betray me in the end. The lyrics of the song continue to the end:

I’ll wait to find You here
Though I’m thrown away
I can’t give up
I’ll wait to see You here
I have gone astray
And I believe I’ll sing until You’re here
Though I’m lost and afraid
I can’t give up
I wait to find You here
I have gone astray

You will always stay beside me
And Your sun will rise above me
And Your light will shine upon me
And Your skies are clear above me
And You will always stay
You will always stay