Hosea 6:1-3

Every year, each member of the El Camino staff picks a verse for the upcoming year...one to live out, one to remind them of something through the year, etc. Usually, I start looking around September or October for something that might interest me but I have a feeling my verses for 2012 will be Hosea 6:1-3:

Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

 

He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.

 

So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.

 

What great promises about God's faithfulness to us in time of need. It is as certain as the dawn so let's presson to know Him.

An Eternal Perspective

Katie and I were talking the other day and she asked me if I thought the angels were praising God in heaven using my songs. Hmmm...I hadn't ever thought about that. I know the Bible doesn't give us all the specifics about what heaven is like so I doubt a verifiable answer could ever be found out. I suppose it's something we'll find out when we get there.

But it did paint an interesting picture in my mind. One of angels getting excited when little old me writes a new song. "Woohoo!!! That song glorifies the Name of God!!! Let's go sing it to our Lord!!!" What a responsibility I now feel thinking that there is even a possibility that this is true.

But it's the same responsibility that we all share. Imagine when you are doing your personal devotion and come across a little nugget in Scripture, something perhaps that few people have ever thought about in the way that you do. No one who has ever lived has ever had the same exact relationship with God that you do. Think about that as you go through your prayer life this week and as you speak with the people around you.

Psalm 17:15

So, I've been meaning to post this one for a while now. Psalm 17 was the most recent song I recorded and posted on here. Lyrically, it is becoming one of my favorites. The last verse is the one that has spoken to me most over the past few weeks. The psalmist cries out for God to confront his enemies and the wicked that is surrounding him. For 6 verses, he is in despair but then, in the final verse of the psalm, he says:

 

As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.

 

Katie and I talked about what this verse really meant. The thing that I kept coming back to was an analogy of a father and his child. When a little one has a nightmare and wakes up screaming and crying, seeing a father's face brings comfort. So, in the same way, when we are beset on all sides by the evil of this world, we can see our Father's face and be at peace knowing His righteousness.

Psalm 17

A new piano song that I can't get out of my head for the past couple of weeks. As I was writing the lyrics, they came out of me very methodical in their rhythm so I put more of a traditional feel to the music. When I sang it to myself, I thought something was missing and then realized it needed a gentle female vocal with it. Enter my beautiful wife Katie...She provided the lead vocal while I did a little harmony on the chorus. I think it makes it much more tender and prayerful. I'll provide some more observations from writing this song a little later on.

Click here to listen

Lyrics:

Verse 1: I have called for You will answer
Bend Your ear, hear me speak
Show Your lovingkindness to me
May Your hand defend the weak

Chorus: Hide me in the shadow of Your wings
Keep me as the apple of Your eye
I'll behold Your face in righteousness
When I wake up from the night
When I wake up from the night

Verse 2: You have proved my heart Jehovah
Try me now, cleanse me Lord
I hold to Your paths before me
With my mouth I sin no more

Psalm 17:3, 5-8 & 15 "Though You probe my heart and examine me at night, though You test me, You will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call on You, O God, for You will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of Your great love, You who save by Your right hand those who take refuge in You from their foes. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings. And I—in righteousness I will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness."

Psalm 17:6a

I am currently working on recording a song Psalm 17 and I have been thinking a lot about the first part of verse 6. The psalmist says:

 

I call on You, my God, for You will answer me.

 

This became exceedingly relevant as it was National Day Of Prayer yesterday. Notice the verse doesn't say "for You might answer me" or "for You'll probably answer me". It says "for You WILL answer me". Not only can we be confident that God hears our every prayer but that He will answer our every prayer.

Miracles

This past Monday, my wife, Katie, and I found out that God is blessing us with a baby boy. His name is going to be Levi Joseph (God has joined together in harmony and will increase). As I sat watching the ultrasound I thought about the miracle of birth. How so many things have to go right at every stage. How the female body adapts to having a whole other person inside of it. How the baby's body grows and matures as the weeks go by.

 

There are some that say miracles no longer occur. I say they are fools. There are 6 billion people on earth right now because of 6 billion miracles.

 

Not only is our first birth a miracle, but our rebirth as well. That the Holy Spirit can change my heart and mold my life according to the purpose of the Lord is nothing short of miraculous.

 

How many miracles have you seen this week, this month, this year?

Psalm 23

So...we arrive at the most well known psalm of all. This was a hard one to write in a way though God was good in gifting me with the idea. I wanted to use the whole psalm (I normally use a a few verses that I find key or that speak personally to me), and I wanted to write something that was in my own style (so many people have written songs to this psalm that I wanted to make sure I did my own). I went back to my roots with just me and my piano on this one. Happy Easter to all!

Click here to listen

Lyrics:

You are my shepherd, I shall not want
You make me lie down in green pastures
You lead me beside still waters
You restore my soul.
You guide me in paths of righteousness
You guide me in paths for Your Name's sake
Even though I walk through shadows of death
Through shadows of death
You are with me.
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me
You prepare me a table before mine enemies
You anoint my head with oil
My cup runneth o'er, my cup runneth o'er
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Follow me through all my life and I
Will dwell with You forever, forever
Forevermore.

Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."