One of my most deeply moving worship experiences in recent years occurred a few years ago in Searcy, Arkansas at the College Church of Christ. The Rose and I were there visiting with our kids at Harding University and when we went with them to worship on Sunday we all sat on the very front row. I really didn't plan this but maybe my Father did because that morning he gave me a gift that has changed something in me forever. I sat next to my beautiful daughter Felicia, but there's more to this story. That morning the worship leader had chosen a song I had never heard.. Being unfamiliar with the lyrics and instead of trying to just stumble through the song, I sat and listened to Felicia's beautiful voice singing the lyrics to "In Christ Alone". Almost immediately those absolutely soul stirring words coupled with the beauty of my daughter's clear, strong voice turned on the tears. I just sat there and cried. Couldn't sing a note. I still can't.
This very morning in worship, years later, we sang that song and I still cannot get through it. In fact, every time I have tried to sing it since that first time I heard my daughter sing it, I cannot even get the words to come out of my mouth. This morning I was sitting beside a young guy whom I love very much and even though he didn't mention it to me, I feel sure he was wondering why I wasn't singing and kept wiping my eyes.
"IN CHRIST ALONE" the story.
The birth of this hauntingly beautiful hymn occurred because Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend met in the fall of 2002 at a worship event through a mutual friend. They began to discuss the possibility of collaborating on some hymn writing projects and Getty told Townsend he would send him some melodies that he had been working on. It wasn't long before Townsend received a recording of three such melodies, the first of which was to become their first collaborative effort. Townsend was moved by that first melody and immediately began to jot down lyrical ideas. Over a period of a few weeks the two changed it a little here and there but they were able to achieve their shared goal to "capture biblical truth in songs and hymns that will not only cause people to express their worship in church but will build them up in their Christian lives."
There is more to the story of this profound song, but I would rather you read it for yourself from those who actually wrote it. You can go to gettymusic.com and youtube and hear the very moving performance of it by Keith Getty's wife, Kristyn and also hear Stuart Townsend talk about it's creation.
"Till on that cross, as Jesus died
the wrath of God was satisfied
for every sin on him was laid
here in the death of Christ I live."
"No matter how many times I hear that verse, I get chills up my spine. The picture of Christ standing in victory, the image of sin's grip being broken and the promise that I cam his and knowing in fact that he is mine, brings him incredibly close to me."
Those words written in a letter to Getty and Townsend by a soldier, pretty much sums it up for me too. Once again this morning I was able to relive that indescribable moment in time that my Father touched my spirit and moved me to understand and appreciate at a deeper level his love for me with those words coming from the heart and spirit of my sweet daughter. I am never ashamed of the tears that always come. All I can say is HALLELUJAH!
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