Coming off the last post, here is a song I wrote to try and express the same sentiments. Again recorded on my phone, please forgive/enjoy the simplicity of the recording. In light of what I wrote before, I hope that it bears no further background, though hopefully it fills out the ideas a bit.
The bridge is taken from Gerard Manley Hopkin's poem, That Nature is a Heraclitean Fire and of the comfort of the Resurrection, which you can read here.
Seize a few better
things, then buttress them high with stones
and bury deep all
else beneath
Where perhaps I
maybe could believe
That these are not
part of me
If my virtues will
make you love me
Then I have no
vested interest in honesty
So I lie, and tell
myself that it’s true
For I fear the same
of you
That you’d flee if
you knew
If not for your love,
then I would never bear
the truth about myself
And I can’t even
admit to myself
That this is what I
do
For none could love
the blackguard that’s making bold his plea
That how I am is
really what you see
Just don’t dig too
deep
And this means the
death of pride
And means all my
worth is lavished on me from outside
Staring into this
dark space
Falling out of this
chase
To rest an object of
grace
And it’s left but
ash
But in a flash, at a
trumpet crash
I am all at once
what Christ for he was what I am
And this jack, this
joke,
this poor potsherd, patch, matchwood, immortal diamond
Is immortal diamond
If not for your love,
then I would never bear
the truth about myself
Thank you for this song and for your last post. We need it here in the mundane life of sick kids, housework, and flooding basements just like you all do. We forget that so easily--almost like we'll use our own strength (thank you very much) for anything commonplace, and save calling on His grace for only the most exotic or spiritual needs. As if His grace could be used up.
ReplyDeletePraying for you all this week, in whatever mundane or fantastic trials you face, that you would fully rely on Him.
--Hank & Hannah Willis