Lyrics
Something you may notice with music is that from a lyrical standpoint, most songs have a bit of structure to them. There’s a verse, chorus, a second verse, chorus, bridge, and probably another chorus to close. This structure is great to help someone memorize the song and have it stuck in their head. When it comes to worship it can allow us to stop focusing on a screen to read the words we’re singing, and just engage with our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes though, you find a song that shatters the structure. A song that is so wordy and thought-provoking that takes you away from the singing and causes you to listen. Not just to the instruments and sounds, but to the words. When you hear a song like this, you can’t just hear it once or twice and learn it either. You can hear it 10, 15, 20 times, and every time you do, you pick up on something new because there’s almost nothing repetitive about it. As you read this, is there a song that comes to mind for you? There’s definitely one for me, but before I tell you what it is, I want to share some thoughts from Scripture with you.
Creation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3
Before the planets, stars, plants, animals, people, or anything else was created, in the middle of everything and nothing all at the same time, God was. Let that sink in for a second. There was nothing, and then, at His command, everything we know was created. At that moment, creation as we know it began. From darkness, there was light. Stars, planets, galaxies, and universes more numerous than we can begin to fathom and in the middle of it all, there was life. Creation as we know it was formed by the Creator, all designed for the purpose of worship.
Failure
Genesis 3 tells us the story of the fall. Adam and Eve eat of the fruit they were not supposed to and sin enters the world. It’s the moment that creation is separated from its perfect Creator, and throughout Scripture, we see this pattern of failure in the midst of provision. A pattern of the creation trying to fill a void that can only be filled by its Creator. Yet, every time the Creator is there waiting to extend His unending love. We see it in Adam and Eve, Moses, Abraham, Samson, David, Solomon, and the nation of Israel as a whole. We still see it today in our own lives. We all fall short of His glory, but He loves us so much that He had a plan in it all along.
His Plan
From Genesis 3:15 to Isaiah 53 we can find prophecies in the Old Testament pointing to the coming Messiah who would provide the sacrifice for sin. The One who would crush the head of the serpent. The One who would carry the weight of our sins. The One who would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. He would be the ultimate sacrificial lamb. All so that we, the creation, can find redemption.
Redemption
In His final moment before his death on the cross, Jesus speaks the words, “It is finished.” As darkness falls and storms rage, the veil in the temple is torn from top to bottom symbolizing God’s plan for redemption has played out. The veil was a symbol that we could not go before God without a mediator (High Priest) and now that Christ has taken on all the sin of the world, He has become the ultimate sacrifice to provide restoration for all creation. Colossians 1:19-20 states, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Now, we have the opportunity to accept the free gift the Creator extends back to His creation (Romans 6:23).
Eternal Hope
While all of this doesn’t end the story, it sets up the truth of where we are. Until Christ returns, we wait and we worship with our lives the best that we can (Romans 12:1-2). We wait on the return of Christ, and ultimately our hope for all the hurt and pain of this life to be gone and for true perfection to be seen in Him. Then, when it is all restored and we have a new Heaven and Earth, we experience worship unlike anything else.
The Song
Now that you’ve got some perspective, here’s my song. While I could say a lot more, I’ll leave you with this. Read the lyrics, listen to the song, and allow your heart to humbly go before the Creator of all things, who loved you enough to send His perfect Son to die for your sins. All to be back in relationship with You and spend eternity with Him. The God who directs the wind, calms the stormy seas, heals the sick, fixes the broken, makes all things new, and keeps His promises.
God of creation
There at the start, before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark and fleshed out the wonder of light
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath, the planets form
If the stars were made to worship, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've made
Every burning star, a signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises, so will I
God of Your promise
You don't speak in vain, no syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science, follow the sound of Your voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky, a canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You, so will I
So will I, so will I
If the stars were made to worship, so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I
And if the wind goes where You send it, so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times!
God of salvation
You chased down my heart through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender, so will I
I can see Your heart, eight billion different ways
Every precious one, a child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them, so will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire?
You're the One who never leaves the one behind
