I'm Listening

Wow, another two weeks already... I gotta get back on the ball! Thanks for being patient with me :)

The last two weeks have been crazy, once again. I had the privilege of leading worship at Calvary this weekend - it was the first weekend I had done in about six months, and it was fantastic to catch up with a lot of friends I hadn't seen in awhile. I've also been busy in the studio, and I'm really hoping we can get this thing finished by summer.

That said, I've taken a bit of a detour from Genesis over the last couple of weeks. I'm starting to get into the genealogies of important Biblical figures, and I gotta be honest, it isn't exactly easy reading. My plan is to make a giant family tree starting with Adam and Eve and working my way down as I get through it. Should be pretty cool :)

In the interim, I've been spending more time writing music and getting my prayers put on paper, so to speak. I'd like to share one with you here that I'll be playing this Thursday at Renovate (meets @ The Lobo Theater in Nob Hill at 7:30pm). It comes from Hebrews 4:12-16, which reads as follows:

"For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

There's a TON happening in this passage, especially in relation to the things that have been going on in my life over the last year. When my wife was going through some pretty nasty medical issues shortly after our second son was born in March 2011, I allowed myself to become bitter and angry, and my heart was hardened towards God. Since then, he's changed my heart, but this passage sums up exactly what I was going through at the time. God's word is active, and it shakes us to the core when we are in the wrong. At the same time, no matter how angry or bitter we become, God knows about it, and He empathizes because he faced the same kinds of situations that our bitterness ultimately stems from. What's so beautiful about this passage to me is how it says we are to approach the throne of grace with confidence - we don't ever have to question whether God's grace is sufficient because he says right here that we will find it in our time of need!


I'm Listening

Where did I go wrong?
I tried so hard to be perfect on my own
Then it all feel apart
But you were there to remind me

You rescued my heart from the darkest of sorrow
Buried my emptiness in an empty tomb
And the very same words that pierce me down to the marrow
Are said to heal the deepest of wounds, so I'm listening

I knew it all along
I'd never outlast you but still I tried
And it all broke your heart
You were still there to remind me

You rescued my heart from the darkest of sorrow
Buried my emptiness in an empty tomb
And the very same words that pierce me down to the marrow
Are said to heal the deepest of wounds, so I'm listening

With outstretched arms and open hands
I stand before the Great I Am
I'm not alright, that much is true
But I'm alive when I'm with You

You rescued my heart from the darkest of sorrow
Buried my emptiness in an empty tomb
And the very same words that pierce me down to the marrow
Are said to heal the deepest of wounds, so I'm listening


That's all I have for today, hope your weekend was good. Have a great week, and hopefully I'll see you at The Lobo this Thursday!

Ben