“Who You Say I Am”

“Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong

Who am I that the highest King would welcome me?
I was lost, but He brought me in
Oh His love for me
Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh, is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

Free at last, He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin, Jesus died for me
Yes, He died for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
I am who You say I am

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
Oh I am who You say I am
Yes, I am who you say I am

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Reuben Timothy Morgan / Benjamin David Fielding

Dear God, I was visiting my parents’ church yesterday, and this was one of the songs they sang. I kept the program just so I would remember the song so I could look it up and use part of it this morning with you.

It was the bridge that struck me while I stood there and sang yesterday:

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

There are some people whom I love dearly who feel they are forsaken. They feel like you are not their friend. You are against them. One person, in particular, really feels this way. He truly feels forsaken, by you and by others. He truly feels like you are against him and not for him. And there is seemingly nothing I can say to convince him otherwise. So I want to pray this over him this morning. Him and the others who are on my heart.

Father, you are for this man, not against him. You are that you say you are. You chose him. You have not forsaken him. In fact, you forsake Jesus on the cross so you wouldn’t forsake him. Oh, I pray this truth over him this morning. I pray that your Holy Spirit will pour over him and that he will feel the truth of these words. You have never forsaken him. You have always been for him. You are not against him. You chose him. Help him to find that and find joy in that. Pierce through the lies he has heard or thought of himself. Help him to see your truth. And for the woman I am thinking about as well, help her to embrace this. I know she knows it in her head. Help her to absorb it into her heart. Holy Spirit, love her well. Heal her wounds. Give her the fullness of your presence and help her to be the woman you have for her to be. And for my part, help me to really internalize all of this today as well. I am going to be leading a fundraising dinner for our nonprofit tomorrow night. Prepare my heart for the moment so that I might truly channel your Holy Spirit into that place. So that those who are there might feel chosen and not forsaken. So they will know you are for them and not against them. Let your Spirit just flow through that space tomorrow night and turn hearts towards you.

I offer this all to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Sunday’s Coming” by Zach Williams

When your week feels like a beat down
And you can’t tell the night from day
And you’re tired of fighting battles
When all you feel is pain, oh
It’s a heavy weight
There’s hope on the horizon
‘Cause the cross was not the end
Let joy come in the morning
And, child, lift your head
Don’t you give up yet

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

So let your soul start singing
And dry those tear-stained eyes
There’s a new life and you can breathe in
You’re gonna see the light on the other side

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

Oh oh, Sunday’s comin’
Oh oh, Sunday’s comin’

For the mama’s praying for their family
Your Sunday’s comin’
For the daddy’s struggling to make ends meet
Your Sunday’s comin’
And if addiction’s bringing you
To your knees your Sunday’s comin’
Oh, if anybody here wants to be set free
Your Sunday’s comin’

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

Source: LyricFind

Written by Ethan Hulse, Nick Schwarz, Zach Williams

Dear God, I sat down to spend this prayer time with you this morning, but I didn’t feel like doing scripture. I felt like freshening things up a bit by looking at a song. I was going to do a worship song, but I came across this one on my “Christian” playlist. Then I thought that maybe I should spend some time praying for friends and family. My wife. My children. My parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. My coworkers, my friends. Our leaders, from world leaders on down to city employees. The patients at our clinic. The volunteers at our clinic. The other nonprofits in town that serve and love others. The churches in town, some of whom are seemingly struggling and some of whom are seemingly striving. My friends who are mourning the loss of a child or a spouse. I guess we can throw me on there as well, although it is always harder to know how to pray for myself except that I want to just be completely yours.

Looking back at these lyrics, I do think I take issue with this song in just one little way. Sometimes, I might never see that Sunday. There are some things that I want that might never resolve on this side of death. I just might have to learn to live through the pain, confusion, and ignorance of Friday and Saturday with faith in you and peace in the idea that none of this is about what I want, but about what you want.

Father, I’m holding on, and I am certainly expecting you to do amazing things. In fact, I expect you to do things that are beyond what I can imagine. And to me it might look like losing, just like the cross looked like losing to everyone who loved Jesus and lived through those two days. And I trust that one day, whether it is this side of death or the other, I will live to see the glory of everything you have done. Not that I’m complaining about my current reality. I have it better than I have a right to. I have so much joy in my life. And there is some success too that I attribute to you. I just don’t want to think that my life has to look like winning in my eyes to prove to me that you are winning in the heavenly realm and doing your will in this world. So I worship you. I praise you. I thank you. I ask that you lead the leaders, comfort the mourners, teach the ignorant (I’m in that camp), draw the rebels to you, and heal the wounded. Do all of this for your glory and the joy you have in communing with your creation.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve?

Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart, yeah

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus, yeah
All about You

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song (than a song)

You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
Into my heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, yeah, yeah
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Matthew James Redman

Dear God, my thoughts are all over the place this morning. I sat down and wondered what I should pray about. Which scripture should I choose? What “great thoughts” can I think and pray through this morning? Then I had this song come into my head. You’re looking into my heart. I’ll bring you more than just my thoughts, ideas, and philosophies on life. I’m just coming to worship you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I have a couple of things on my calendar today that are very important to me. But my danger is to try to do this on my own. To rely on my own wisdom and intellect. To make it about me. Instead, my focus needs to be on tapping into your Holy Spirit every moment. To hear that whisper in my ear. What I should be doing. What I should say. What I should not do. What I should not say. To channel Jesus’s “Sermon on the Mount” in everything I think, say, and do. To submit to you. To worship you.

Even now, I can feel my blood pressure going down as I sit here and worship you in this way. I can feel my thoughts becoming more still. I can feel the Holy Spirit calming me. I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you. It’s all about you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s all about what Jesus taught me about worship (the Lord my God), love (my neighbor as myself), and then getting to know you better and better so that Jesus’s life seeps into me and becomes who I am more and more.

Father, it all starts with these moments. It all starts with me sitting here this morning and taking the time to get before you and pray to you. Thank you for bringing me to this place. Thank you for what you offer me. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be today in every situation I encounter.

I offer my life, my day, and this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Be Thou My Vision”

"Be Thou My Vision"

Be Thou my vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light

Be Thou my vision
And Thou my true word
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father
I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with Thee one

Riches I  heed not
Or man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure Thou art

High King of heaven
My victory won
May I reach heaven's joys
O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still by my vision
O Ruler of all

Dear God, it’s interesting to really sit with the words of this song. Parsing out the early English is slightly tricky. For example, the third and fourth lines say, “Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.” Whoa! Let me think about for a second. I’ve sung that line a hundred times, but what does it mean? Naught = Nothing. Therefore, I’m going to saying that it means “nothing is anything to me except you.” It’s not as cool sounding when I put it in my modern language and much more poetic, but the meaning is also a little obscured from my 21st-century English.

Maybe I should just translate this into modern English:

Let me see with your eyes
Lord of my heart
Nothing is anything to me
Except you
You are the best of my thoughts
Day and night
Whether I am aways or asleep
Your presence is my light

Let me get my wisdom from you
Show me what truth is
Let me be always with you
And you with me
You are my great Father
I'm your devoted son
Live in me
And I will be one with you

I am not impressed by riches
And I do not care about impressing people
My inheritance is only you
Now and forever
You and you alone
Are first in my heart
King of heaven
You are my treasure

King of heaven
You have won the victory for me
May I reach the joy of heaven
The spectacular heaven to come
My heart is your heart
Whatever happens
I still want to see with your eyes
And have you rule over everything

Okay, so a lot of poets could probably take apart what I just translated. My poet wife would probably have a field day with the inaccuracy of my interpretations. But the sentiment really works, and I’m going to stick with it. This is a great song of devotion to you. Denying myself and embracing you as my everything. Show me how to really, effectively, make you my everything.

I pray to you, Father, in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Holy, Holy, Holy”

"Holy, Holy, Holy" 
Holy, holy, holy!
Lord, God Almighty!
Early in the morning
Our song Shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy
merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons
Blessed Trinity

Holy, holy, holy! 
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee
Who wert, and art, and
Evermore shalt be

Holy, holy, holy! 
Tho' the darkness hide Thee
Tho' the eye of sinful man
They glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in 
Love, and purity

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth, and sky, and sea
Holy, holy, holy
Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons
Blessed Trinity

Written by Reginald Herber and John Dykes

Dear God, I was in church last night, and we sang this hymn. It seemed like a good thing to spend some time with this morning in worship of you. While it’s not particularly early right now (it’s about 10 a.m. as I write this) I am coming to you this morning before I get on with the rest of my Sunday to worship you.

The truth is, I cannot even begin to fathom what these words mean. They are good words, but do I really grasp them? Just the act of calling you “holy.” The words “God almighty.” Singing about how the cherubim and seraphim falling down before you. All the saints casting the crowns they might have earned in this earthly life before you. Considering it all nothing. Knowing that all of your creation, whether we want to or not–even the proudest of humans–will one day proclaim your name as our God. The fact that you are perfect in power, love, and purity. Acknowledging that the darkness of my life and this world can obscure you from me. My mind is limited. I cannot fathom you, nor can I understand anything about you or your ways.

Father, as I consider all of this, let me turn back to the simplicity Jesus taught me through the Gospels that recorded his life: love you with everything I have and love my neighbor as myself. I accept this truth. I accept Jesus’s life, death and resurrection so I might become your child and have relationship with you, freed from the sin and shame that wants to tie me down. And I accept the idea of having to love my neighbor as a way of releasing my own life to you. For in you is my only real joy. The idols of my wife, children, job, standing in the community, money, or whatever will all let me down. But you are Lord, God Almighty! Let my song rise to you.

I pray all of this in Jesus with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Lay Down the Burden of Your Heart” by Amy Grant

“Lay Down the Burden of Your Heart” by Amy Grant

It’s a cold, cold world
That we’re walking through.
Lay down the burden of your heart.
But it’s warm as toast
Walking two by two,
Lay down the burden of your heart.

Lay down the burden of your heart.
I know you’ll never miss it.
Show your Daddy where it hurts,
And let your Daddy lift it.

It’s a fine, fine line
Betwixt love and hate.
Why, it’s tough to tell the two apart.
But you know it’s love
That He offers you.
Lay down the burden of your heart.

Lay down the burden of your heart.
I know you’ll never miss it.
Ohh-ohh, show your Daddy where it hurts,
And let your Daddy lift it.

Lay down the burden of your heart.
I know you’ll never miss it.
Ohh-ohh, show your Daddy where it hurts,
And let your Daddy lift it.

Ohh-ohh, show your Daddy where it hurts,
And let your Daddy lift it.

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Adrian Plass / David Clifton / Ian David Blythe / Philip Andrew Baggaley

Dear God, I have a couple of thoughts on this song this morning. I came across it while I was trying to find another Amy Grant song that I never did find. But I’ve always liked this one so I thought I would spend some time with it this morning.

The first thought was based on a conversation my wife and I had yesterday about our image of you as “father,” and how some people with “daddy issues” can have difficulty separating you as our father from our earthly fathers. I’ve never had that issue. I mean, it helps that my earthly father is an honorable person. Sure he’s flawed like we all are (probably not as much as I am), but overall I’m fortunate in that way. At the same time, I’ve never thought of you as father in the same way as him as my father. For me, you’re God. You have this amazing love for me. I understood just a little bit of that love in a new way when I became a father. But I don’t expect the same things of you that I expected from my earthly father growing up. And now that I’m an adult I have a different kind of relationship with my earthly father than I have with you. Frankly, while my relationship with him is reasonably good, my intimacy with you is much great. Yeah, maybe that’s the word: intimacy. Maybe that’s what I was trying to articulate to my wife when we were talking about how I see the difference between you as “father” and my earthly “father.”

So when Amy sings about showing you, my “daddy,” where it hurts and letting you fix it, I think she is describing something I’ve done with you many times. And I know that “letting you fix it” can sound cliche and like just words, but there’s something real to it. And often you don’t fix it. You just hold me while I hurt and then let the natural healing process happen (tears in my eyes as I type this). Thank you for just holding me when that’s what I need.

The other thing that came to my mind was the writers’ decision to include the line, “It’s a fine, fine line betwixt love and hate. Why it’s tough to tell they two apart.” First, they chose the word “betwixt.” I Googled it to see if it was a specific reference to a piece of literature and didn’t immediately find anything, but I don’t think it would have changed the rhyming scheme to say “between” instead of “betwixt,” but they went with the latter. I wonder why.

Second, they chose this phrase for this song in the first place. A song about laying down my burdens includes this curious quote. “It’s tough to tell the two apart.” As the four writers sat down and wrote this song, I wonder if they talked about how sometimes what someone does out of love can seem suffocating and like hate. I think my children have interpreted that from me sometimes. And I have sometimes interpreted your actions that way. So they added the line, “But you know it’s love that He offers you.” I can have faith that while it might sometimes look like hate that I’m experiencing from you, I should know have faith that it is always love. Always love.

Father, I’m here to lay down the burden of my heart. I told a friend yesterday that I’m preparing to really spend some time with you and meet with you during Lent this year. I feel like I’m preconditioning my heart to some extent. I don’t want to go in cold. I want to be in an already “present” state with you so that I might simply sink into what you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, my Triune God, have for me this year. I need you. I really do need you. So I will stay in the moment. I will keep my eyes off of the water and on yours. And I will let you hold me while some of my wounds continue to heal.

I offer all of this to you in Jesus with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Bring the Rain” by MercyMe

“Bring the Rain” by MercyMe
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I’ve gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It’s never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what’s a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Billy Montana / Helen Darling

Dear God, I’m always hesitant to say, “Bring it on.” I don’t want to invite the rain. But I do want to invite you. I want to invite you to mold me. I want to invite you to live through me. I want your Holy Spirit to help me weed my soil and provide you a good place in which you can grow quality fruits of your Spirit.

I’ve talked a lot about the “dark clouds that may loom above.” There are some that are always there, and they bring me sorrow. But I have to tell you that I honestly don’t know who I would be without them. Those clouds have developed so much mercy in me. They have made me very non-judgmental towards others whom I might have otherwise, well, judged. Yeah, I don’t know who I would be without the challenges, struggles, and humiliations.

What I really like about this song is that it just ends in worship. It is 5.5 minutes long, but the last 2.5 minutes are just them repeating, “Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord, God Almighty. Is the Lord, God Almighty.” Just over and over again. Sometimes I get there. In the midst of the pain, I just want to worship you.

Holy, Holy, Holy. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord, God Almighty. Is the Lord, God Almighty. Holy, Holy, Holy. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, God Almighty. Is the Lord, God Almighty.

Amen

 

“I Give You My Heart” by Hillsong

“I Give You My Heart” by Hillsong

… This is my desire
To honor You
Lord, with all my heart
I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore
Is in You

… Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for you alone
And every breath that I take
Every moment I’m awake
Lord, have Your way in me

… This is my desire
To honor You
Lord, with all my heart
I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore
Is in You

… Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for you alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I’m awake
Lord, have Your way in me

… And I will live
And I will live for You
And I will live
And I will live for You

… Oh and I will live
And I will live
And I will live for You

… Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul, I live for You alone
Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake
Lord, have Your way in me

… Have Your way
Have Your way, have Your way

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Reuben Timothy Morgan

Dear God, this song has been going in my head this morning, and I’ll take that. It’s a good song. It’s my heart this morning. As I start this Friday, I just want to give you my heart. I’m going to be writing some letters to donors. I’m going to be meeting with a volunteer and his wife at lunch. I’m going to be doing some planning. I have a meeting with a new community leader today. And of course, I’ll be with my wife this evening. Help me to take you throughout this day with me. Be in everything I do. Every breath that I take. Every moment I’m awake. Lord, have your way in me. Live through me. Touch others through me. Be glorified through me.

And help the two men who are on my heart this morning. Give them some real solutions. One has huge addiction issues. One is homeless and facing an uphill battle to resolve his homelessness. Frankly, the situations seem hopeless to me. Please show me if there is anything I am supposed to do for them. Make it obvious. Don’t let me miss what you’re telling me, but also keep me from doing anything out of my own wisdom or power because my wisdom is flawed and my power is small. But your wisdom is great and your power is endless.

I offer all of this to you in your Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Amen

 

“Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” performed by Dennis Parker (featuring Charley Woods)

“Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” performed by Dennis Parker (featuring Charley Woods)

1 What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain:
O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2 For my pardon this I see:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

3 Nothing can for sin atone:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

4 This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

Dear God, I discovered a new artist this past weekend at the men’s retreat. Dennis Parker is amazing. There were some incredibly talented Nashville musicians at the retreat this weekend, and one of two of them might have had a little more technical ability (although I’m not sure of that because he was great), but I was mesmerized by his performance, his spirit, and his story. I won’t go into his story because it is his to tell, but here’s a link for anyone reading this who is interested:

With that said, I found some YouTube videos of him performing, and I came across this great hymn, so I thought I would just sing it to you this morning.

• What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
• What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
• For my pardon, this I see nothing but the blood of Jesus.
• For my cleaning, this my plea nothing but the blood of Jesus.
• Nothing can for sin atone but the blood of Jesus.
• Naught of good that I have done but the blood of Jesus.
• This is all my hope and peace: nothing but the blood of Jesus.
• This is all my righteousness: nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank you for this flow that makes me white as snow. There is no other fount I know–nothing but the blood of Jesus. I worship you, my Triune God.

I offer this prayer to you through the power of the blood of Jesus,

Amen

 

“Mary” by Patty Griffin

“Mary” by Patty Griffin

Mary, you’re covered in roses
You’re covered in ashes
You’re covered in rain
You’re covered in babies
Covered in slashes
Covered in wilderness
Covered in stains

You cast aside the sheets
You cast aside the shroud
Of another man who served the world proud
You greet another son
You lose another one
On some sunny day
And always you stay
Mary

Jesus said, “Mother, I couldn’t stay another day longer.”
He flies right by and leaves
A kiss upon her face
While the angels were singing 
His praised in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts
Cleaning up the place

Oh Mary, she moves behind me
She leaves her fingerprints everywhere
Every time the snow drifts
Every way the sand shifts
Even when the night lifts
She’s always there

Jesus said, “Mother, I couldn’t stay another day longer.”
He flies right by and leaves
A kiss upon her face 
While the angels were singing
His praises in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts 
Cleaning up the place

Oh, Mary, you’re covered in roses
You’re covered in ruins
You’re covered in secrets
You’re covered in treetops
Covered in birds
Who can sing a million songs
Without any words

You cast aside the sheets
You cast aside the shroud
Of another man who served the world proud
You grieve another son
You lose another one
On some sunny day
And always you stay
Mary

Dear God, I have tears in my eyes as I write this to you. My wife introduced this song to me recently, and I’ve had it going in my head ever since I heard it as I arrived at this retreat yesterday.

Mary is a complicated figure in Christendom. Satan has used her beautiful life to divide a lot of Christians over the last 500 years. But there are some things that are simply undeniable about her. One of them is this image of her dealing with the ascension of Jesus. Acts 1:14 tells us that she was among the disciples when they returned from the ascension. I wonder what her interactions with Jesus were like for those 40 days between the resurrection and the ascension. Joyous? Sorrowful? Bitter/sweet?

I know Mary as mother is a huge inspiration to some women. And as I’ve gotten an up-close look at Catholicism over the last 13 years, I’ve learned a lot about the Catholic theology about Mary—and it’s not as scary as I expected it to be as a boy raised in a Southern Baptist Church. If there is a cloud of witnesses, then she is among them. She’s not granting prayers, but she is joining us in prayer. She is caring about our prayers. I can accept that.

The second verse of this song really speaks to me:

Oh Mary, she moves behind me
She leaves her fingerprints everywhere
Every time the snow drifts
Every way the sand shifts
Even when the night lifts
She’s always there

I’ve seen mothers who have experienced great sorrow receive a lot of comfort as they feel Mary’s empathy—maybe in a way that even you, God, never experienced. That’s probably too far. I’m sure that with the completion of Jesus’s earthly life and your own experiences there is absolutely nothing you cannot empathize with, but I can certainly see why women would find a special kinship with this woman. Motherhood can bring every emotion. From great joy to great sorrow. Sometimes it’s nice to know there’s a woman in heavenly places who knows how these women feel. Mary certainly was not spared any joys or sorrows.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, you know what’s currently on my heart. Things I cannot say publicly for the privacy of others. But you know. Oh, please be in these thoughts and prayers. Please move. Please grant them. If it is your will, Father, please, please grant them. The tears are here again. Oh, Father, please grant this prayer.

I offer this to you through the power of Jesus’s conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection, all of which Mary was a witness,

Amen