As many of you know, I am an unrelenting fan of Andrew Peterson. He leads my reasons to continue caring about Contemporary Christian Music(CCM), and gives me a fresh breath of hope that CCM might return to original composition and fresh thoughts. Whether that happens, however, is of little present relevance. Andrew is not a crusader and I will not make him into one. Instead, he continues doing what he's done for the last 10 years, humbly tell us about God as He presents himself in Scripture: a powerful, unrelenting, loving Father, Shepherd, Judge, Savior, and Champion of our faith and redemption. I am openly weeping as I write this, mostly because I realize how good and loving God is to me, when I deserve nothing. I am thankful to Andrew for being faithful to the call God has placed on His life. Doing so has strengthened and refocused my own walk with God more times than I can count.
This morning, I listen to Andrew's alternate version of his song, Serve Hymn. I am floored - I am undone - by the honesty of His words. While he tells the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son at God's command, the parallels are clear. Abraham's obedience of God's call provides for us a stunning look into God's own, beautiful heart. He knew the pain in Abraham's heart; the burden and cost of discipleship. God knew His mercy, justice, and love would lead Him to do that which he spared Abraham. There would be no eleventh hour when it came time for Christ to be laid down on that same altar. All of the sudden, the weight of this story becomes very real to me. I expect I'll be a father sometime in the next few years; I'm sure that plays a part. I think mostly, however, is realizing what a great price He paid for me. The cost of my salvation exceeds any worth I could ever place on myself.
I tried to think of anything else to write, but I think that's really the point. We cannot comprehend the cost of our salvation, so we certainly cannot comprehend the love the drove God to endure such a cost. Out of this same love, He spares us from this cost while commanding us to live in full awareness of it.
I hope you get a chance to hear this song. It's available on his independently-released Appendix A: Bootlegs and B Sides album. I've posted the link below. For now, I'll leave you with the lyrics, which do half the job of conveying this beautiful and powerful message of love.
Serve Hymn:
Wake up little Isaac
and rub your tired eyes
Go and kiss your mama
we'll be gone a little while
Come and walk beside me
Come and hold your papa's hand
I go to make an altar
and to offer up my lamb
I waited on the Lord
and in a waking dream He came
Riding on a wind
across the sand He spoke my name
and "Here I am", I wispered
and I waited in the dark
And the answer was a sword
that came down hard upon my heart
Holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord
and the Lord I will obey
Lord help me, I don't know the way
So take me to the mountain
I will follow where you lead
and there I'll lay the body
of the boy you gave to me
and even though you take him
still I ever will obey
but Maker of this mountain
please, make another way
Holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord
and the Lord I will obey
Lord help me, I don't know the way
--------
https://store.rabbitroom.com/index.aspx#/details/c62fcb70-1ca4-4ac5-8cbb-09765762e7ff
This morning, I listen to Andrew's alternate version of his song, Serve Hymn. I am floored - I am undone - by the honesty of His words. While he tells the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son at God's command, the parallels are clear. Abraham's obedience of God's call provides for us a stunning look into God's own, beautiful heart. He knew the pain in Abraham's heart; the burden and cost of discipleship. God knew His mercy, justice, and love would lead Him to do that which he spared Abraham. There would be no eleventh hour when it came time for Christ to be laid down on that same altar. All of the sudden, the weight of this story becomes very real to me. I expect I'll be a father sometime in the next few years; I'm sure that plays a part. I think mostly, however, is realizing what a great price He paid for me. The cost of my salvation exceeds any worth I could ever place on myself.
I tried to think of anything else to write, but I think that's really the point. We cannot comprehend the cost of our salvation, so we certainly cannot comprehend the love the drove God to endure such a cost. Out of this same love, He spares us from this cost while commanding us to live in full awareness of it.
I hope you get a chance to hear this song. It's available on his independently-released Appendix A: Bootlegs and B Sides album. I've posted the link below. For now, I'll leave you with the lyrics, which do half the job of conveying this beautiful and powerful message of love.
Serve Hymn:
Wake up little Isaac
and rub your tired eyes
Go and kiss your mama
we'll be gone a little while
Come and walk beside me
Come and hold your papa's hand
I go to make an altar
and to offer up my lamb
I waited on the Lord
and in a waking dream He came
Riding on a wind
across the sand He spoke my name
and "Here I am", I wispered
and I waited in the dark
And the answer was a sword
that came down hard upon my heart
Holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord
and the Lord I will obey
Lord help me, I don't know the way
So take me to the mountain
I will follow where you lead
and there I'll lay the body
of the boy you gave to me
and even though you take him
still I ever will obey
but Maker of this mountain
please, make another way
Holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord
and the Lord I will obey
Lord help me, I don't know the way
--------
https://store.rabbitroom.com/index.aspx#/details/c62fcb70-1ca4-4ac5-8cbb-09765762e7ff
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