An Andrew Peterson Kind of Week

It’s been an Andrew Peterson kind of week. Those of you who know me (and probably many of you who don’t) know that I love music. I almost always have something playing on either my phone or computer. My tastes range from contemporary Christian to Christian rap (yes it exists and is actually great) to Christian rock. For some reason I have been drawn to the Andrew Peterson albums we have this past week. Steph and I have both been huge fans of his for quite a while. His Christmas album (Behold the Lamb of God) plays almost continuously from November through January at our house…and sometimes plays throughout the year. We had the opportunity to meet him and Jill Phillips after a performance of this album (by far the best concert we have ever attended!!). Since first listening to his Christmas album, I have found myself drawn to his story-telling style of music. Here is a link to his website http://www.andrew-peterson.com/index.php

This week, and especially this weekend, has been another one of back-and-forths/up-and-downs. Ten years of marriage (almost 18 years since we began dating), the three-month mark of saying “see you later” to Hannah (goodbye sounds too permanent…and we will absolutely see her again), and now Father’s Day. Ever since losing dad, Father’s day has been difficult…now even more so. But while this day brings some sadness, I still have three amazing reasons to celebrate. Throughout all of this, Steph and I have tried to be very intentional not to allow our loss of Hannah to also mean the loss of mommy or daddy to the boys.

I think instead of struggling to find a way to put some of my thoughts and feelings into words, I will cheat and use the lyrics from some of the songs I have been listening to. I would encourage you to listen to the entire songs and reflect on the profound Biblical truth on which each one is rooted.

This week as I have been studying and listening to music I have been reminded of many truths that we are told throughout scripture. The tears that we shed are not forgotten because

“…in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We’ll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we’ll look back on these tears as old tales”
(After the Last Tear Falls)

 

And Jesus understands what it means to grieve. He also knows that we will continue to feel the pain and sorrows of this world.

“And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not”
(The Silence of God)

 

“Despite they pains and sorrows of this world, we serve a God who has overcome the world. While I struggle to understand many things, I know for sure that He is in control. I believe…
All I know is that I was blind but now I see that though I kick and scream, Love is leading me. And every step of the way his grace is making me; With every breath I breathe, he is saving me. And I believe.
So when my body’s weak and the day is long, when I feel my faith is all but gone, I’ll remember when I sing this song that I believe. I believe he is the Christ, Son of the living God, my Lord, my Savior.”
(The Good Confession [I Believe])

 

Life is hard. I am so thankful to have such an amazing partner with whom I can traverse the good and the bad.

“And we’re dancing in the minefields
We’re sailing in the storm
This is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for”
(Dancing in the Minefields)

 

I think we all want to leave a lasting legacy of some kind. For me, I want that to be through my children. It is my hope and prayer that they follow the only one capable of truly leading them in love and freedom.

“And I know you’ll be scared when you take up that cross
And I know it’ll hurt, ’cause I know what it costs
And I love you so much and it’s so hard to watch
But you’re gonna grow up and you’re gonna get lost
Just go back, go back

Go back, go back to the ancient paths
Lash your heart to the ancient mast
And hold on, boy, whatever you do
To the hope that’s taken hold of you
And you’ll find your way”
(You’ll Find Your Way)

 

I think it’s good for us all to know that there is so much more to this world that what our limited senses can explain. There is so much more…

“There is more
More than all this pain
More than all the falling down
And the getting up again
There is more
More than we can see
From our tiny vantage point
In this vast eternity
There is more

A thing resounds when it rings true
Ringing all the bells inside of you
Like a golden sky on a summer eve
Your heart is tugging at your sleeve
And you cannot say why
There must be more”
(More)

 

The longer I live the more that I long to see face to face my Redeemer…the one who has saved me…Hosanna!

“O Hosanna! See the long awaited king, come to set his people free. We cry O Hosanna! Come and tear the temple down. Raise it up on holy ground. Hosanna!

We cry for blood, and we take your life. Hosanna! We cry for blood, and we take your life. It is blood, it is life that you have given.

You have crushed beneath your heel the vile serpent. You have carried to the grave the black stain. You have torn apart the temple’s holy curtain. You have beaten Death at Death’s own game. Hosanna!

O Hosanna! Hail the long awaited king, come to set his people free. We cry O Hosanna! Won’t you tear this temple down, raise it up on holy ground. O Hosanna! I will lift my voice and sing: you have come and washed me clean. Hosanna.”
(Hosanna)

 

One of the most comforting thoughts that I know of is that death has been defeated…the grave has been overcome.

“High noon in the valley of the shadow
When the deep of the valley was bright
When the mouth of the tomb
Shouted, “Glory, the Groom is alive”

So long, you wages of sin
Go on, don’t you come back again
I’ve been raised and redeemed
You’ve lost all your sting
To the victor of the battle
At high noon in the valley
In the valley of the shadow

Now the demons, they danced in the darkness
When that last ragged breath left his lungs
And they reveled and howled
At the war that they thought they had won

But then, in the dark of the grave
The stone rolled away
In the still of the dawn on the greatest of days

It was high noon in the valley of the shadow
When the shadows were shot through with light
When Jesus took in that breath
And shattered all Death with his life

So long, you wages of sin
Go on, don’t you come back again
I’ve been raised and redeemed
You’ve lost all your sting
To the victor of the battle
High noon in the valley of the shadow

Let the people rejoice
Let the heavens resound
Let the name of Jesus, who sought us
And freed us forever ring out
All praise to the fighter of the night
Who rides on the light
Whose gun is the grace of the God of the sky

High noon in the valley of the shadow
When the shadows were shot through with light
When the mouth of the tomb
Shouted, “Glory, the Groom is alive”

So long, you wages of sin
I said go on, don’t you come back again
I’ve been raised and redeemed
All praise to the king
The victor of the battle
High noon in the valley
In the valley of the shadow”
(High Noon)

 

And oh how I long for the day of reckoning when all things will be made right.

“I can see the storm descending on the hill tonight
Tall trees are bending to your will tonight
Let the mighty bow down
At the thundering sound of your voice

I can hear the howling wind and feel the rain tonight
Every drop a prophet in your name tonight
And the song that they sing
It is washing me clean, but

How long until this curtain is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?

And I know you hear the cries of every soul tonight
You see the teardrops as they roll tonight
Down the faces of the saints
Who grow weary and faint in your fields

And the wicked roam the cities and the streets tonight
But when the God of love and thunder speaks tonight
I believe You will come
Your justice be done, but how long?
How long until this curtain is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?

You are holiness and grace
You are fury and rest
You are anger and love
You curse and you bless
You are mighty and weak
You are silence and song
You are plain as the day,
But you have hidden your face–
For how long? How long?

And I am standing in the stillness of the reckoning
The storm is past and rest is beckoning
Mighty God, how I fear you
How I long to be near you, O Lord

How long until the burden is lifted?
How long is this the song that we sing?
How long until the reckoning?
And I know that I don’t know what I’m asking
But I long to look you full in the face
I am ready for the reckoning”
(The Reckoning)

2 Corinthians 4:15-18

15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.  16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.