Last Sunday (Feb 21, 2016) we sang the song, Like An Avalanche,1 a powerful song that compels us to come before the throne on our knees. There are several scriptures implied in this musical work of art. The bridge in the song, that musical section that serves to tie the song together, is based on these passages (at least) Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, Matthew 10:38-39:
Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Jesus is talking with those who are following him. The people are impressed with his miracles and teaching so he clarifies what it means to be a disciple, something I’m sure many find difficult to understand. To be a disciple of Christ comes with a cost. In the referenced passages we find Jesus lays out some heavy requirements. I imagine there were many who were shocked by Jesus words in Matthew 10:32-33:
Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
These are powerful words that no doubt set many on their heels, stopped them in their tracks. “I will disown before my Father in heaven.” You. Me. Family. Friends. What is our response to such words? How do we react when we read these words? Turn the page and keep going? Do we fill our quota of scripture for the day and check off the box that says read the Bible?
The Bridge
This Sunday we led this song with a room full of people who are seeking to grow in their faith, to be disciples of Jesus. I’m not sure how many times we sang this phrase, but I couldn’t get enough and it still plays in my mind as I type this:
Take my life, take all that I am,
with all that I am I will love you.
Take my heart take all that I have
Jesus how I adore you.
How I pray that we can truly embrace this posture of complete devotion to Jesus. Let the lyrics and music wash over us all. I hope these words keep repeating in your mind as you consider Like An Avalanche.
1 Like An Avalanche, Joel Houston and Dylan Thomas, Hillsong Music Publishing, 2010
Thoughts about serving others
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
Beautifully written. Songs like Like an Avalanche and Aftermath by Hillsong create so much imagery in the mind as to what it is like when Jesus comes in. I’m the type of person that needs that imagery…not just words, but the pictures that the words represent. Thanks for sharing this!