How far we've come

Recently I've been reflecting on how powerful music can be. One of the ways in which it can impact us, is helping us to remember and hold onto truths, as those catchy melodies and lyrics get "stuck in our heads".

 

I have been going through a difficult season lately, and there have been certain songs that have been really helping me to hold onto important truths in the middle of everything. In those moments when my mind is so numb that I can't even think straight, a lyric or two of a song can come to me and give me something to hold onto, to ground me. In particular, I have been listening a lot to the latest album called "Trial and triumph" by a band I like called "I am they" (who I thoroughly recommend listening to!). Many of the album's lyrically rich songs speak about the trials and triumphs of life, and some of the things that we need to remember as we go through them.

 

The title track, that has been going through my head all day today, is a song called "How far we've come". It reminds us through every trial and every triumph to stop and look at just how far we've come. And it reminds us that the one who has been faithful to bring us this far, is not going to abandon us now - in fact, through it all He will NEVER let go.

 

This is particularly poignant as we come into the Easter season. For some Easter is just a long weekend, an excuse for a few days off work, with some extra chocolate thrown in for good measure. But, whilst I enjoy all of these things, Easter means much more to me than that. For me, it is the ultimate reminder of just how far God would (and did) go to "not let go of me". When things were at their worst, He sent His son, Jesus, to rescue me, when I was not able to rescue myself. He rescued me from sin, from guilt, from shame, from fear, from a life lived in defeat, and so many other things. And through the act of one man, He showed me how crazily reckless His love is, that He would give up everything to not let me go.

 

The book of Romans in the Bible sums this up nicely, by saying the following (Message translation): "We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him." We had nothing to offer God, and yet He gave everything for us.

 

So whatever you may be going through in this season, this Easter let's stop beating ourselves up about wherever we are right now. Instead, let's look back together and remember just how far we have come (probably further than we realise or remember!). And let's look forward with hope, knowing that there is one who isn't willing to give up on us - not now, or ever; one who is patient, and offers to walk with us through both the trials and the triumphs. And if you haven't yet experienced this love that I speak about, why not accept God's invitation this Easter? I can promise you, it will definitely be the best decision you ever make. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks, waiting for us to respond. 

How far we've come - I am they

 

Verse 1:

It's hard to believe
This is the same road we started on
Ashes to beauty once again

When we couldn't see
And it all disappeared from under us
He became the ground beneath our feet

Pre-Chorus:
Every step, every struggle
Every triumph, every trial

Chorus:
Look at the mountains we've climbed
Look at how faithful He's been, to deliver us
Look at how far we've come
The story of unfailing love
Jesus has made a way, to deliver us
Look at how far we've come

 

Bridge:

You never let go, You never let go
God, through it all You will never let go