We Are Waiting (2)

I know I already did a blog post for this song, but I was helping with worship at a conference this weekend, and this song sort of came to the forefront because it tied in so well with the theme that emerged: waiting on God. (Plus, I got a new mic recently and felt like re-recording it).

I was reminded this weekend that waiting is such a crucial aspect of the believer's identity. We wait in confidence because we know that He who did not spare his only Son but gave Him up willingly, will not withhold anything good from His children (Romans 8:31-32). And we wait with a strong hope because of the coming Kingdom, where we will know Love personified in all His fullness.

P.S. I kind of went to town on this recording... I couldn't help myself... but I hope I'm not setting a precedent... I would still like this to be a place where I can throw up (very) rough recordings of songs I'm writing...

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Verse: (C Dm7 F Gsus)
Pre-chorus: (F C Gsus)
Chorus & Bridge: (F C Gsus Dm7)

Please, God

This is yet another song I wrote in response to a sermon series one of my pastors did on ASKing. There are a few different ways I approach song-writing, and this one came first as the melody and first few lines of a verse... I figured out the guitar part later.

When thinking about what we should ask God for in worship, it seemed most obvious to me that we should ask that He be more greatly glorified on the earth. Our primary motivation in worship should be to make his "name and renown" the desire of our hearts (Isaiah 26:8).

James tells us that we have not because we ask not, and that when we do ask, we frequently ask with wrong motives and therefore receive nothing. But if we are firstly motivated by a humble desire for God's "name and renown," then our requests have a solid foundation.

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Please, God, build Your kingdom
Please, God, send Your rain
Hear, God, us Your children
Asking please, God, have Your way

We have not for we ask not
So we ask now
We are wretched, blind, and poor

Send Your Spirit, come down
And let every nation bow
For Your name and renown
We are asking, God
Holy Jesus we pray
Be exalted in our day
For Your glory and fame
We are asking God

Please, God, have a harvest
Have a people for your praise
Save, God, those in darkness
Teach our hearts to love Your grace

We have not
For we ask not
We ask now O God

We Are Waiting

One of my pastors has been doing a sermon series over the past number of months on prayer and of the fundamental role ASKING should play in a Christian's prayer life. It has been an incredibly fruitful season for our church in which many individuals have experienced a revitalization of their prayer lives and intimacy with God (myself included).

About two months ago he preached specifically on the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. But the point he stressed (or which came across most strongly to me) was the excruciating delay which Jesus allowed himself, once hearing the news, before traveling to see Lazarus and his family. The practical application for our lives is that we often find ourselves, like those who loved Lazarus, in a state of waiting which we are powerless to change. And yet God will accomplish something good in the end of it all. Even if Lazarus should die, Jesus will show himself to be the resurrection and the life. We can wait patiently and pray fervently... these two are not mutually exclusive.

So these thoughts are what prompted this song...

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We are waiting God for You to respond
We are asking in Your name
We will stand and knock 'till your kingdom comes
'Till the nations know Your praise

And O to hear You say the final "Amen"
When You renew us unto life without end
But even now we pray Your kingdom come down

Holy King of love reigning over us
Jesus You will come again
Let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven

We are waiting, we are waiting for You...
We are asking, we are asking for You...