Friday, February 24, 2006

Smells Like ... Lifehouse?

So on my morning walk I was listening to the Stanley Climbfall album by Lifehouse and mused again at how much "Out of Breath" sounds like something by Nirvana. It's a really athletic song about pursuing a goal, and if you listen to it while you exercise, you will get out of breath, but in a good way.

The lyrics reminded me of a recent conversation I had with someone about Hebrews 12:1. That verse says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (emphasis mine, and I'm quoting from memory, so there might also be mistakes, but I know it's close). I was having a conversation with a person who has made mistakes but now wants to really run after Christ. This person knew where they came from, and knew that to get closer to the Lord they needed to run, and to run, they needed to let go of some things. I praise the Lord that this person wants to run again! You know who you are, and this song reminded me of you.

I still feel the same
Though everything has changed
The pain it cost now I feel lost inside of my own name

The past has left its stain
Now I feel the shame
I'll seize the day if you take away the chains of yesterday

But I keep running
I am running
I keep living for the day that I'm with you
And I am waiting
I keep waiting for the day that I'm with you

A new day the sun is shining
Seems I'm closer to finding
That life is more than what we hide
No way that I am turning
As long as this sun is burning
It seems now that all I want is you...

When your past faces you, keep turning to Him, and when your present has extra baggage, let it go! Keep running the race!

And, you-know-who, I want you to know the Lord used you in my life, too, to remind me to throw off everything that hinders and sins that entangle, and run.

"Out of Breath," by Jason Wade and Ron Aniello, from the Lifehouse album Stanley Climbfall, published 2002 by G-Chills/ Songs of DreamWorks/ Aneillo Music (BMI).

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

How Great

Two songs from The David Crowder* Band's album Illuminate were on my mind this morning, and I thought they were the same song. I enjoy this album a lot, as it contains one of my favorite contemporary praise songs, "O Praise Him (All This for a King)" and also lots of lyrics and licks that make you realize that the Crowder boys are free-spirited but know exactly what they're doing. They're worshipping the Lord with new songs. Praise Him!

The two on my mind were, "How Great," and "Intoxicating." Squeamish listeners will have to get over that the Crowder Band, like Derek Webb, often uses metaphors of intoxication to describe the joy and rapture they find in the Lord. The lyricists creatively assist listeners in understand the spirit of the song. For instance, lyrics like:

If I'm out of my mind it's You, you
'Cause I'm crazy in love with You, You
Inebriated by You, You
'Cause I'm head over heels for You, You

(from "Intoxicating") make more sense when the song bursts into a chorus of -

La, la dee da
La dee da, dee da
Dee da da da

- with full vocals and a roaring band behind it. This song and this band is about being completely in love, captured, consumed, impassioned.

"Intoxicating" is a hard act to follow, but actually what I thought of first this morning were a few lines from "How Great." Sometimes a situation reminds you of a song, and in this case, the song helped me form an attitude of praise for the day. Like other Crowder songs, this one has some moments that are lyrically simple, but the parts of the song taken together add up to beautiful praise. In case you're wondering, here are the words I thought of this morning, that I hope run through my mind all day.

What a glorious day
What a wonderful day, today
Glorious day.

How great your love for us
How great our love for You
That grace could cover us
How great your love.

It could be a glorious, wonderful day! Peace out!

"How Great" and "Intoxicating" words and music by David Crowder from the album Illuminate, 2003, Sparrow Records /Six Steps Music.