Mercy Me are my favourite Christian music group. Several of their songs soothe my heart, including their most famous. “I can only imagine” imagines what it will be like to meet Jesus face-to-face for the first time. It helps me reflect on how much Jesus did to gain my salvation and how grateful I’ll be when it finally becomes complete reality. For the record, I think I’ll do all the following: I will be silent, bow down, sing, dance, embrace . . . What a day that will be.
I always turn up “Flawless” when it comes on in my car. The words give me incredible hope: “No matter the bumps, no matter the bruises, no matter the scars, still the truth is the cross has made you flawless. No matter the hurt, or how deep the wound is, no matter the pain, still the truth is the cross has made you flawless.” It’s an everyday application of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross on my behalf took all my sin and He replaced it with His righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 2:1,2). In Jesus, although a sinner, I’m righteous in Him right now!
The recent movie I can only imagine 2 shares the story of Mercy Me’s last big song “Even if”. It recounts how the lead singer was battling father wounds that were affecting his parenting of his eldest son, and how he struggled to write a new song—even after a fellow artist had given him a lead. The song is based on what the three Jewish young men say to Nebuchadnezzar when faced with the choice between fire or false worship (Daniel 3:17,18). “I know You’re able and I know You can, Save through the fire with Your mighty hand, But even if You don’t, My hope is You alone, I know the sorrow, I know the hurt, Would all go away if You’d just say the word, But even if You don’t, My hope is You alone, It is well with my soul.”
When I’m not sure how to reflect on God, Christian songs turn my mind to truths worth contemplating. I sing along when no-one else is in the car (I was once in a choir and asked to mime by the choir master). But I cannot wait to sing the new song of eternity—the song of Moses and the Lamb (Revelation 15:3,4). I wonder what language it will be in? What the words will be, and how long it will take us to learn? There is so much to wonder. In the meantime, I’ll keep listening to good Christian songs and allow them to encourage me along life’s journey.
