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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Verge | You Are God & You Are Good by Austin Stone Worship


Emmaus City Church Planter Anthem You Are God and You Are Good Austin Stone WorshipStory in Song Worcester MA Soma Acts 29


Come now in power and let our chains be broken! Pour out Your Spirit, Jesus our hearts are open! – "You Are God and You Are Good"  


 If you have been following Emmaus City's website, you most likely already know that we take Ephesians 5:18-20 to heart: " ... be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ... "

We greatly appreciate The Story in Song. We know songs can help shape a life of worship service. And some songs make for great anthems for church planting.

In 2013, two new songs quickly became new favorites: "Jesus Is Better" by Austin Stone Worship and "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United. And now Aaron Ivey and Austin Stone have done it again in 2014 by creating what will most likely be my favorite worship song of the year.

 For some background to the Ivey family, and how this song could have been inspired by their experiences of adopting children from Haiti before and after the earthquake, check out this video, "The Ivey Adoption Story," this post by Aaron's wife, Jamie: "Four Things To Do When Bringing Home a Child from Hard Places," and another song by Aaron called "Amos Story."


"You Are God and You Are Good"
by Austine Stone Worship

(c) 2014 

Verse 1
For the fatherless, we pray be the Father.
Let those who lost their way be understood.
For the widow and the broken – be the Lover who will hold them.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.

Verse 2
For those who mourn today, be the comfort,
And who hunger after You, be satisfied.
You bless the poor in spirit for heaven is their kingdom.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.

Chorus 1
You are God, You're the risen King.
You are good, Lord of everything.
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love.
You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.

Verse 3 
As we look upon Your Word, God give us vision.
Restore us by the power of Your blood.
Come now, Holy Spirit – when You whisper let us hear it.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that you are God and you are good.

 Bridge 
So come now in power!
And let our chains be broken!
Pour out Your Spirit!
Jesus, our hearts are open!

 Chorus 2
You are God, You're the risen King.
You are good, Lord of everything.
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love.
No power, no darkness, could ever stand between us!
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love!
You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.  


Emmaus City Worcester MA Soma Acts 29 Church Planter Anthem Story in Song You Are God and You Are Good Austin Stone Worship


"Redeemed to Redeem" rocked me the first time I heard it at Verge 2013 in Austin, Texas. "You Are God and You Are Good" was introduced at Verge 2014 during two of their worship set lists and continues in the vein of "Redeemed to Redeem" in bringing a powerful view of God's redemption and restoration, and His invitation for His followers to provide glimpses of His kingdom and resurrection power. 

 

"For the fatherless, we pray be the Father. Let those who lost their way be understood. For the widow and the broken – be the Lover who will hold them. ... "


 This first line hooks me because it immediately puts me into the perspective of an orphan. And one of the greatest joys of walking with God in recent years is recognizing what He's done through Jesus to reconcile and adopt His children. How will this rich reflection propel Emmaus City forward to seek the orphans, widows and broken in Worcester who need to have someone share the good news that God not only redeems and restores, but also adopts by the power of His Spirit?

  “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." – Jesus (John 14:18)

" ... For those who mourn today, be the comfort, and who hunger after You, be satisfied. You bless the poor in spirit for heaven is their kingdom ... "


Jesus Himself said that blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Only in Jesus and with Jesus can we become His church who suffers well together, fully trusting that His strength can meet us and those He has sent us to in our weakness. How do we step into the broken places of our city, walking humbly with the Spirit of God so that we hunger for and ask God to come into the places that need His healing balm?

 "The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!" – King David (Psalm 22:26) 

" ... As we look upon Your Word, God give us vision. Restore us by the power of Your blood. Come now, Holy Spirit – when You whisper let us hear it. We know that You are God and You are good. ... "


As much as I hope God will accomplish through Emmaus City to give Jesus glory, if we're not seeking His Word by His Spirit, we will be looking for answers with our own eyes that meet our own desires. In the whirlwind of wanting to do so much and see so many people encounter Jesus, we need to rest and listen and wait for the Lord to whisper His goodness and strength to us again and again in our weakness. How will we trust that even when we are not doing or cannot do anything, God is still working to bring His redemption and restoration in the lives of those I love, but He loves more?

 " ... And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. ... 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him and her who are of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite'" – YHWH (1 Kings 19:11-12; Isaiah 57:15)

" ... So come now in power! And let our chains be broken! Pour out Your Spirit! Jesus, our hearts are open! ... "


 This is my absolute favorite part of the song. A complete and climactic shout of prayer and praise to the One who can do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine!

 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,  because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." – Jesus (Luke 4:18-19)

" ... No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love. No power, no darkness, could ever stand between us! ... "


Jesus comes to us. He is the death-defying God and Savior. Nothing can separate us from His love. Why would we not turn back to Him again and again, knowing He is with us and that all He asks for is a mustard seed of faith to believe He can do mountainous moves in our lives, the lives of our families, the life of His church, the lives of people in our neighborhoods and the lives of those who call Worcester home?

 "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Paul (Romans 8:38-39) 
Emmaus City Worcester MA Soma Acts 29 Church Planter Anthem You Are God and You Are Good


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