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

He Is the Image

I wrote this song probably about a year and a half ago, and there isn't as much of a story behind it... but I was meditating in Colossians at the time, and this song came out of it. The lyrics are mainly inspired by the first chapter, specifically verses 15-20...

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blod, shed on the cross."

I also love to remind myself what Jesus' name means: God Saves. What a wonderful declaration to make in worship. Hence the last line of the chorus: "Forever we will love the God who saves." Glory! Hallelujah!

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He is the image of the, of the invisible God
He is the Word come in flesh
He is the resurrection, the way, the truth, the life and
The love of God manifest

He is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Fully God, He bore our shame
He is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Reconciled us through his pain
And forever we will love the God who saves

He is the man of sorrows, acquainted with our suff'ring
Obedient unto death
He is the humble, holy, exalted Lord of Glory
The firstborn up from the dead

Forever we will love You...