Not My Own

This song is about pride. C.S. Lewis made an insightful comment in The Screwtape letters that much of our issues with pride could be resolved by a sober-minded appreciation of the fact that we did not create ourselves. We have nothing to do with the fact that we exist. Every breath we take, every thought we have, is predicated on the initiating grace of God (to create us in the first place) and the sustaining grace of God (to continue our existence each and every moment). There is nothing for me to take pride in that is not first predicated on God's initiating and sustaining grace.

And if I am created, how can I reasonably maintain authority over my own life? The thing created must belong the One who created it. I was made by Him, and for Him.

If it's not enough to realize that I did nothing to accomplish my own existence, it should be even more humbling to realize that I did nothing to accomplish my own salvation. Many object at this point, but this is the Christian Gospel (and what distinguishes the Christian gospel from many, perhaps all, others). To be sure, I accepted the gift of God's grace, but I did nothing to deserve it.

So my creation and my salvation are all of God's grace, and I am left with only one reasonable conclusion, "You are not your own; you were bought at a price...." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Obedience to my Creator is only reasonable, and love for my Savior is only natural!

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Verse1 : Am F C G
I did not make myself
You made me, God my King
And I am yours, I am yours
I could not save myself
You saved me, God my King
And I am yours, I am yours

Pre-chorus: F C
You humble all the haughty
Lifter of the heavy heart
Your love and tender mercy
Are the only hope I've got

Chorus: F C G Am7 / F C Gsus G
I am not my own, I was bought at a price
Jesus I am yours now
You will reign alone on the throne of my life
Jesus I am yours forever

Verse2 : Am F C G
Wonderful, fearfully
You made me, God my king
And I am yours, I am yours
By your blood, You redeem
All of me, God my king
And I am yours, I am yours

Faithful One

I wrote this song a few weeks ago in response to a request from my pastor. He sent me a list of scriptures, revolving around the them of hope, which he'll be preaching on for the next few months, and he asked me to start writing songs! This one came originally from Psalm 147:11. As I thought about the verse, I wanted to write a song that was full of praise for the riches of God's love, his faithful, unfailing love. We can have such confidence in his love, knowing that He who was, who is and who is to come, is love, and will always look on us with love.

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(the recording is in E, but I frequently play it in D when leading this song at church)

Chorus: D G D A (x2) Bm7 G D A Em7 G A

Faithful One

We will hope in Your unfailing love

From the rising to the setting sun

We will hope in Jesus' name

You have never failed us

Verse: D Em7 G A

Rich in Compassion, lavish in love

Hope of the nations, beautiful God

Full of new mercy day after day

You come to save me, Lamb who was slain

Bridge: Bm7 A/C# G

And for eternity we'll sing this song

Our God is love, Our God is love

The One who was and is and is to come

Our God is love, Our God is love

Em7 A

Our God is love Our God is love

Ending: Em7 G (x3) Em7 G A D...

You have never failed us

You have never failed us

You will never fail us

You will never fail us