I've had this cd by Josh Garrels for quite some time, but recently added a few of the songs on it to my running mix (and to Erin's for that matter). As we are both running more (we believe we are training for the Indy Monumental Half-Marathon in November) we have heard the song "Beyond the Blue" a bit more lately. This morning these words struck me from the second stanza: To keep on course from the bow to the stern and throw overboard every selfish concern that tries to work for what can't be earned. Those words remind me of so many from Scripture passages: Ephesians 2:1-10 and Philippians 3:8-11 as just two examples.
Our default mode as human beings is self-justification. Deep inside we don't like grace because we want to have earned everything we have received. It doesn't work that way with the gospel. It is a gift, and thank the Lord it is because without that gift we would be in deep trouble. And when we try to work for what can't be earned we are just fooling ourselves and don't realize who we are or who the Lord is. Last night we studied Psalm 103 in our small group and verses 14-17 were a focus. God knows who we are...he knows we are but dust and we fade like the glory of the flower. We are incapable of effecting our own salvation...BUT the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him...Glorious words from a glorious God.
Enjoy this song and pray with me that we can learn to throw overboard the ways we try to work for what cannot be earned!!
(Click on the title to go to Josh Garrels website and to hear the song)
Stand on the shores of a site unseen
The substance of this dwells in me
Cause my natural eyes only go skin deep
But the eye’s of my heart anchor the sea
Plumbing the depths to the place in between
The tangible world and the land of a dreams
Because everything ain’t quite it seems
There’s more beneath the appearance of things
A beggar could be king within the shadows,
Of a wing
And wisdom will honor everyone who will learn
To listen, to love, and to pray and discern
And to do the right thing even when it burns
And to live in the light through treacherous turns
A man is weak, but the spirit yearns
To keep on course from the bow to the stearn
And throw overboard every selfish concern
That tries to work for what can’t be earned
Sometimes the only way to return is to go,
Where the winds will take you
And to let go, of all, you cannot hold onto
For the hope, beyond,the blue
Yellow and gold as the new day dawns
Like a virgin unveiled who waited so long
To dance and rejoice and sing her song
And rest in the arms of a love so strong
No one comes unless they’re drawn
By the voice of desire that leads em’ along
To the redemption of what went wrong
By the blood that coveres the innocent one
No more separation
Between us.
So lift your voice just one more time
If there’s any hope may it be a sign
That everything was made to shine
Despite what you can see
So take this bread and drink this wine
And hide your spirit within the vine
Where all things will work by a good design
For those who will believe
And let go, of all, we cannot hold onto
For the hope, beyond, the blue
Said I let go, of all, I could not hold onto
For the hope, I have, in you
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