Have you ever had that one song in all of the music you know or own and it is one that can move your spirit no matter what you are going through in life? I'm excited to share that one song with you, reader. This song, I discovered back in high school. I had always wanted to play it live because it is a prayer that really speaks the truth about my life and whatever may be going on. I never really found the opportunity to play this song, due to the fact that it has a certain mood and length to it. I actually did find that one time do finally perform it. My 5th year of college, I was going to play my final talent show at MLC. I was quite the regular performer for talent shows at MLC and I always looked forward to it each year. My, girlfriend Kristin, and I were going to perform this song. I played guitar and found the courage to sing, and Kristin helped me out with vocals. We were more than ready to sing this prayer to everyone at that talent show. Not to toot my own horn, but usually after I performed a Christian song, I would get a lot of professors inquiring about who made the song or getting an all around praise (if you will) for performing a song so well. With this song, I was ready to open their eyes and kind of give my farewell performance as a talent show player. I guess you could call it my culmination or masterpiece that would give me closure after all my performances. At the try outs, Kristin and I performed it for the judges flawlessly. We waited a week for the deliberation process, and I received the word, I would not perform for my last talent show. (Not that I'm bitter, but a guy shoving quarters up his nose made it over me....)
Needless to say, I was shocked. I asked a judge what the reason was for me not making the cut. I was wondering if there was something I missed. They said the song didn't fit the mood of the talent show, and that it was too long. I was sad to hear that a Christian song didn't fit the mood and that 5 minutes was too long to praise my God with the talent he had blessed me with. I am still searching for a time to perform this song. The song? Worlds Apart by Jars of Clay
This song, when I perform or sing it by myself, always breaks me down. I cannot lie to you, reader, after meditating on the words and singing along with the video, I almost started crying. When you read the lyrics and apply it to yourself, how can you not?
I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die
We try so much to go through this life on our own, with our own can do attitude. We praise ourselves for our successes, we blame others for our faults, everything is about us. How often do we try on those wings like Icarus. We fly too high on our own ego and when we crash, we don't know how to recover. You are left at a stand still in life. You either feel like every time you try to pick yourself back up, you end up flat on the ground again; or you start to dig yourself into deeper pit finding it hard to see the light up above.
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache
As we continue to look to ourselves for our own answers, we forget about the person who died for us, being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. This single act was done out of love. This sacrifice had no hatred for human kind attached to it, it had a love that wanted everyone to feel that they are not alone. God wanted us to know that we can rely on him and his love as we go through life.
Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees
All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me
Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart
Unfortunately we constantly struggle with this simple thought that we need to let go and let God take control. We are such micro managers of our life that we feel that we cannot let go of the reigns. We need to tell God where we are going instead of letting God point the directions that we truly need in life. The prayer that comes next helps me, especially, realize why I cannot be in control. This is my absolutely favorite part of the song. When it comes to this part, I always close my eyes, and pray (while singing). I realize this is why I need to let go and let God.
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart
What parts of your world does God need to take apart? We are such flighty creatures, always giving up when the going gets tough. We need to look beyond the empty cross, the symbol of victory over sin, death, and the devil. So pray to God to steal your heart, take your pain, take the selfish, the weak, and all those things that you cannot hide. Give up everything to the one who can take it all on. Let go and let God.
Needless to say, I was shocked. I asked a judge what the reason was for me not making the cut. I was wondering if there was something I missed. They said the song didn't fit the mood of the talent show, and that it was too long. I was sad to hear that a Christian song didn't fit the mood and that 5 minutes was too long to praise my God with the talent he had blessed me with. I am still searching for a time to perform this song. The song? Worlds Apart by Jars of Clay
This song, when I perform or sing it by myself, always breaks me down. I cannot lie to you, reader, after meditating on the words and singing along with the video, I almost started crying. When you read the lyrics and apply it to yourself, how can you not?
I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die
We try so much to go through this life on our own, with our own can do attitude. We praise ourselves for our successes, we blame others for our faults, everything is about us. How often do we try on those wings like Icarus. We fly too high on our own ego and when we crash, we don't know how to recover. You are left at a stand still in life. You either feel like every time you try to pick yourself back up, you end up flat on the ground again; or you start to dig yourself into deeper pit finding it hard to see the light up above.
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache
As we continue to look to ourselves for our own answers, we forget about the person who died for us, being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. This single act was done out of love. This sacrifice had no hatred for human kind attached to it, it had a love that wanted everyone to feel that they are not alone. God wanted us to know that we can rely on him and his love as we go through life.
Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees
All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me
Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart
Unfortunately we constantly struggle with this simple thought that we need to let go and let God take control. We are such micro managers of our life that we feel that we cannot let go of the reigns. We need to tell God where we are going instead of letting God point the directions that we truly need in life. The prayer that comes next helps me, especially, realize why I cannot be in control. This is my absolutely favorite part of the song. When it comes to this part, I always close my eyes, and pray (while singing). I realize this is why I need to let go and let God.
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart
What parts of your world does God need to take apart? We are such flighty creatures, always giving up when the going gets tough. We need to look beyond the empty cross, the symbol of victory over sin, death, and the devil. So pray to God to steal your heart, take your pain, take the selfish, the weak, and all those things that you cannot hide. Give up everything to the one who can take it all on. Let go and let God.
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