Song Stories: Holy Things

These most recent posts will be song stories from our new CD, "Wide Awake." For more information about our music and our ministry please visit our website http://www.rhythmofworship.com/ or find us on Facebook (Paxson and Allison).

This was the last song I wrote before moving to California. Our church in Atlanta really embraced it and my pastor commented, the last time we led worship for that congregation, that it was his favorite song of ours. It is a great song to sing during the sacrament of The Lord's Supper. I have always been please with how the "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" with regard to this song. The lyrics, the melody, and the harmonization all seem to work well together in conveying the sense of mystery that characterizes this simple song.

I love all of the dynamics of corporate worship: hearing the Scriptures taught, singing together, sharing a meal, praying for our local body and for the world. These are simple yet profound things that we do together; things the church has participated in together since the beginning (see Acts 2:42). However, when these simple acts are done in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit, they take on a holy character. As we faithfully participate in these acts in a rhythm that God set up from the beginning (one day in seven), we are shaped and formed by them. Corporate worship relocates our often dislocated lives. I believe it was Charles Spurgeon who said that worship "restores our sanity."

It is so easy for us to become disoriented as we go through our week. Corporate worship feeds us and reminds us of God's purposes and Kingdom values. The songs, the creeds, the prayers, the meal, the words - all "holy things" which build us up and spur us on, week after week.

I used much of the language from the book of Hebrews for this song. The language of Hebrews 12 reminds us of the profound mystery that we are not worshiping alone, but somehow when we meet together, we join the worship of heaven itself. What a profound mystery. What an amazing truth.

Holy Things
Paxson Jeancake

We come again to the throne of grace

To heaven's courts, to holy praise

And by the blood we now draw near
With holy things, holy fear

With holy hands lifted high, holy prayers that arise
Holy meal that we share, holy words we declare
Holy people redeemed, holy things, holy things

Holy God, consuming fire
Lamb of God, our one desire
Son of Man, Ancient of Days
We offer you the sacrifice of praise