you get a new song. :)
I wrote a song currently titled, "Hope is Alive".
I wanted to hold the tension of scripture where it says God changes His mind for the purpose of revealing that He chooses to love us and that love is a choice. This great lesson of love throughout the Bible is a reality check we don't often hear from hollywood movies or from songs on the radio. I think there is beauty in realizing that God chooses to love us. Love is God's nature, but it's not mechanical... it's a choice that He constantly decides.
God's love in disciplining us towards becoming a Holy nation is hard to understand because it presents the question... Does God know what He's doing? The short answer: of course, but our foresight on His plans of course is limited.
The idea of God changing His mind has different interpretations and the point of this song isn't to promote one or the other... it's rather to highlight that God wants His people to be Holy and He wants them to choose love the way He does.
Why put any of this in a song... why is it important?
The tension, the mystery, the void is the greatness and I think that's worth writing about and singing in church. The provocation of the song once again is to make people realize that Love is a choice... for God... and for us. God's choice to love us I hope sheds light on His Great Mercy... His Enormous Ability to Forgive... His consistent commitment to us. That in and of itself is reason to enter the throne room on our knees.
The thoughts provoke thankfulness in me and I know that in turn produces joy. The same spiritual fruit can be cultivated in congregations and that's why worship songs are important.
When can we hear this song?
Soon... I'm gonna keep "grazing" on it. That's when I chew on it, play it places, kick it back between my friends... and then pressure myself to finish it and call it a done deal. When that happens I'll post a video of it.
:)
- m
