Our Father, Creator
You hold our hearts together
There's no one higher than You
Redeemer, Defender
Our great and mighty Savior
There's no one higher than You
You are always with us
Gracious to forgive us
By Your power we've been set free
And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence
Astounded by Your mercy and love
Our hands are lifted high in surrender
Your grace for me is always enough
And there is no one higher than our God
There is no one higher than our You
Majestic in wonder
You reign with love forever
There's no one higher than You
Your beauty, Your splendor
Your glory knows no measure
There's no one higher than You
You are always with us
Gracious to forgive us
By Your power we've been set free
And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence
Astounded by Your mercy and love
Our hands are lifted high in surrender
Your grace for me is always enough
And there is no one higher than our God
There is no one higher than our You
Let my life forever praise the glory of Your name
There is no one higher than You
There is no one higher
No one greater
No one like our God
There is none more able
Christ our Savior
Great and glorious
And Lord we stand amazed in Your presence
Astounded by Your mercy and love
Our hands are lifted high in surrender
Your grace for me is always enough
And there is no one higher than our God
There is no one higher than our You
Let my life forever praise the glory of Your name
There is no one higher than You
Lyrics to "When the Stars Burn Down (Blessing and Honor)" written by Jennie Riddle and Jonathan Lee:
When the stars burn down and the earth wears out
And we stand before the throne
With the witnesses who have gone before
We will rise and all applaud
Singing blessing and honor, glory and power
Forever to our God
Singing blessing and honor, glory and power
Forever to our God
When the hands of time wind fully down
And the earth is rolled up like a scroll
The trumpets will call and the world will fall
To its knees as we all go home
Star of the morning, Light of salvation
Majesty
God of all mysteries, Lord of the universe
Righteous King
There will come a day standing face to face
In a moment, we will be like Him
He will wipe our eyes dry, take us up to His side
And forever we will be His
Singing blessing and honor, glory and power
Forever to our God
Singing blessing and honor, glory and power
Forever to our God
Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to
swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours
Jesus friend of sinners the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring your people to their knees
Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we
judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and love like You did
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours
You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me a grateful leper at Your feet
'Cause You are good, You are good
And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks Yours
And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet
[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
[Chorus x2]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name
I have been reflecting on the sermon Pastor Bob delivered on Sunday (see Dan's Sunday AM Remix), particularly the section on waiting on God timing, and this song has been in my head throughout that process. Sometimes the silence we hear and feel when we seek direction/guidance from God can be quite unnerving. This is particularly true in cases where we approach God with a heavy emotional burden. And that is why I love the conclusion of this song:
And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
Jesus understands what it is like to hear the silence of God. While in the Garden of Gethsemane, He pleaded for the Father to remove the cup of agony and pain he was about to experience from Him. (see Luke 22:39-46) Yes, we are told that an angel is sent to comfort Jesus, but the angel does not remove the suffering Jesus is encountering. Note that, after the angel appeared, Jesus then prayed more earnestly while still being in agony. "The aching still remained..."
Jesus then understood the silence of God in a way that we will never understand. While hanging on the Cross on Calvary, Jesus had His Father, whom He has been in communion with for all eternity past, turn his face from Him and pour out His wrath upon Jesus, as the sins of millions of people were cast upon Him and judged. In that moment of alienation, when Jesus Christ experienced the total silence of God, He cried out "Why have you forsaken me?" (see Matthew 27:45-46).
For years I always attributed this quote strictly as a natural response to that painful moment when Christ felt the absolutely foreign weight of sin cast down upon Him. However, in recent years, I have come to love the fact that Jesus was not merely responding to the moment, but was capturing it by quoting the beginning of a Psalm of David, which every Jew that surrounded Him would have instantly recognized and known how it progressed.
Read the following portions of Psalm 22 and see how Jesus was proclaiming His Deity and the faithfulness of God just prior to His death:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praisesof Israel.
In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd,and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet -
I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;
they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!
You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations even the one who could not keep himself alive.
Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
I can definitely relate to the "Where are you God?" portions of this passage. However, we must recognize, like the Jews on the hill that day, that Jesus was pointing out that the rest of this Psalm was His to proclaim as well. He was enduring exactly what was prophesied by David centuries before, so that he could also lay claim to final portion where the Lord is given the praise and honor that is due Him. Jesus wasn't merely proclaiming that He was missing God's presence in that moment; He was also proclaiming that He understood that the final outcome was that God would hear His cry and that Jesus would have his rightful place of authority restored.
This is one of the reasons why, immediately prior to his last breath Jesus cried out "It is finished." He had accomplished the task set before Him. He had endured the pain of the crucifixion, as well as the pain of judgement and isolation from God. There was nothing left for Him to do.
So the challenge that I have, that I place to you, is to consider "How do I wait on God?" Do I wait on Him with a sense of dread that He will not respond or that He might give me an unclear response, or do I understand like David and Jesus that God is faithful and He will fulfill all His promises to me? I struggle with remembering that my life is but a vapor and the only amount of significance that it obtains has been given to me by God, so that i proclaim Him to those around me.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as
we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are
unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that
are unseen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
The Silence of God by Andrew Peterson
It's enough to drive a man crazy; it'll break a man's faith
It's enough to make him wonder if he's ever been sane
When he's bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod
And the heaven's only answer is the silence of God
It'll shake a man's timbers when he loses his heart
When he has to remember what broke him apart
This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not
When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God
And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob
Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they've got
When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross
Then what about the times when even followers get lost?
'Cause we all get lost sometimes...
There's a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold
And He's kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone
All His friends are sleeping and He's weeping all alone
And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God
If you have never seen or heard this rendition of the classic "O Holy Night", then you need to repent and give it a listen. David Phelps absolutely nails this song. I especially love the moment at 5:07 when Mark Lowery (red shirt and tie behind Phelps) expresses what everyone else in the building must have been feeling at that moment. This is a tremendous live performance of a song everyone knows. Few people could sing this song in this manner and do so sounding anything near as amazing as Phelps does in this video.
This song has been playing in my head and on my iPod for weeks now.
The following lyrics have really caused me to dwell on the incredible reality of the Incarnation:
"But the baby in her womb, He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith that could make the mountains move"
It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town
And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold
It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night
So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move
It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love
This song reminds me of my days serving along side the other members of the Isle of Dreams. I believe that I first heard it at one of our Sunday morning services at the St. Louis Avenue nursing home. There's so much encouragement in this song that I can't help but get fired up when I hear it.
Floating on a sea of trouble
Sorrow falling like rain from the sky
Trodding through life's murky waters
Trials form the tears in your eyes
Don't stop
I'm telling you
There's a blessing on the other side of through
We may not see the other side
The light from darkness may seem to hide
But don't give up
What ever you do
The presence of God is there with you
Don't stop
This word is for you
There's a blessing on the other side of through
On the other side of through
There's a blessing waiting for you
Hold fast
Hold fast
Your troubles will not last
There's a blessing
There's a blessing
On the other side of through
What God has prepared for you
Is better than what you're going through
So run this race with determination
God has prepared your destination
Don't give up
I'm telling you
There's a blessing on the other side of through
On the other side of through
There's a blessing waiting for you
Hold fast
Hold fast
There's a blessing
There's a blessing
On the other side of through
Weeping may endure for a night
But joy comes in the morning light
Hold your head up
Stick your chest ouyt
Hang on in there
Hold fast in the good times
Hold in the bad
Hold on when your happy
And hold on when you're sad
Hold and rememeber that in Jesus' name
Your faithfulness will not be in vain
A lot has been said about Christina Aguilera botching the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of this year's Super Bowl. Having sung the national anthem in a baseball stadium and a hockey arena in front of thousands, I can tell you that it is no easy task to remember the flow of words in that moment and hit all the notes correctly.
Christina Aguilera is incredibly talented.
She messed up on a very public stage.
Perhaps we could extend mercy and grace to her there as well.
I pray she comes to know Jesus.
Lyrics for "Lift Me Up" by Christina Aguilera:
So the pain begins
As the music fades
And I'm left here with
With more than I can take
If you lift me up
Just get me through this night
I know ill rest tomorrow
And ill be strong enough to try
When the static clears
And all is said and done
I will realize
That we all need someone
If you lift me up
Just get me through this night
I know ill rest tomorrow
And ill be strong enough to try
So when you see me crashing
And there's nowhere left to fall
Will you lift me even higher
To rise above this all
If you lift me up
Said if you lift me up
Said if you lift me up
Will it be higher
When you see me crashing
And theres nowhere left to fall
Will you lift me even higher
To rise above this all
If you lift me up
Said if you lift me up
If you lift me up
Just get me through this night
You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin
You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life,
In You death has lost its sting
Oh, I’m running to Your arms,
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go
Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
My heart will sing
No other Name
Jesus, Jesus
Oh, I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
There's more that rises in the morning
Than the sun
And more that shines in the night
Than just the moon
It's more than just this fire here
That keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger
Than this room
And there's a loyalty that's deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the giver
Of all good things
So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home
There's more that dances on the prairies
Than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean
Than the tide
There's a love that is fiercer
Than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother's
When her baby's at her side
And there's a loyalty that's deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things
So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home
Well I was 19, you were 21
The year we got engaged
Everyone said we were much too young
But we did it anyway
We got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road
We said our vows and took the leap now 15 years ago
We went dancing in the minefields
We went sailing in the storms
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for
Well "I do" are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin
'Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down
And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found
And we're dancing in the minefields
We're sailing in the storms
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for
That's what the promise is for
So when I lose my way, find me
When I lose loves chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith to the end of all my days
when I forget my name, remind me
'Cause we bear the light of the Son of man
So there's nothing left to fear
So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands
Till the shadows disappear
'Cause He promised not to leave us
And his promises are true
So in the face of this chaos baby,
I can dance with you
So lets go dancing in the minefields
Lets go sailing in the storms
Oh, lets go dancing in the minefields
And kicking down the doors
Oh, lets go dancing in the minefields
And sailing in the storms
Oh, this is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for
That's what the promise is for
I have come with one purpose
To capture for myself a bride
By my life she is lovely
By my death she's justified
I have always been her husband
Though many lovers she has known
So with water I will wash her
And by my word alone
So when you hear the sound of the water
You will know you're not alone
'cause I haven't come for only you
But for my people to pursue
You cannot care for me with no regard for her
If you love me you will love the church
I have long pursued her
As a harlot and a whore
But she will feast upon me
She will drink and thirst no more
So when you taste my flesh and my blood
You will know you're not alone
There is none that can replace her
Though there are many who will try
And though some may be her bridesmaids
They can never be my bride
When the storm is raging all around me
You are the peace that calms
My troubled sea
And when the cares of this world
Darken my day
You are the light that shines
And shows me the way
Oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me!
Beautiful Lord
Awesome and mighty
I'm captured by this love I see
Beautiful Lord
Tender and holy
Your mercy brings me to my knees
It's Your mercy that has made me free
Beautiful Lord
When my sin is all that I can see
Your grace remains the shelter that I seek
And when my weakness is all I can give
Your gentle Spirit gives me strength again
And oh, the beauty of Your majesty
On the cross You showed Your love for me
And I am lifted by Your love to sing!
It's Your mercy that has made me free!
You're beautiful, my Lord
You're beautiful, my Lord
I search for love
When the night came and it closed in
I was alone
But you found me where I was hiding
And though I'll never ever be the same
It was the sweetest voice that called my name
Singing
You're not alone
For I am here
Let me wipe away every fear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest night
And I'm the one that's loved you all your life
All of your life
You cry yourself to sleep
'Cause the hurt is real
And the pain cuts deep
All hope seems lost
With heartache your closest friend
And everyone else long gone
You've had to face the music on your own
But there is a sweeter song that calls you home
Sayin'
You're not alone
For I am here
Let me wipe away your every tear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All your life
Faithful and true... Forever
My love will carry you
You're not alone
For I... I am here
Let me wipe away every fear... Oh yeah
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through your darkest nights
Your darkest nights
And I'm the one that's loved you all your life
All of your life
Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark
Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me
I think I'll stop
Rest here a while
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
That's my everything
Oh, didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you sat it down
And this is all that I can say right now
I know it's not much
And this is all that I can give
Yeah that's my everything
I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet
And this is all that I can say right now
I know it's not much
And this is all that I can give
Yeah that's my everything
" by Aaron Shust 
" by 
:
, which is where most people have heard it:
" by 
" by Matt Redman
" by James Bignon
" by Hillsong:
:
" by Rich Mullins:
" by Andrew Peterson:
" by the Gaither Vocal Band:
" by Derek Webb (
" by Third Day:
" by Leeland:
" by 
" by the