You Alone Can Rescue

I don't know how many of you readers have heard the song by Matt Redman called, "You Alone Can Rescue", but the lyrics are really powerful. For our church choir I was asked to take the solo, which is actually a male tenor solo. Initially, I was excited and validated - God was using my talents and wanted to continue to use them. However, over the past few weeks, I have mindlessly neglected my music. My biggest pet peeve about myself is that. The things that I know I should do and need to do, but I don't do them because at the time I may not see the immediate need for my attention to a certain matter. Can anyone say procrastinate? ARG, I hate it. I hate when I procrastinate.

Back to the song...last night after choir, I was discouraged about the song and my lack of time spent on it. Even though people in choir said that it sounded good, it wasn't where I wanted it to be and I could tell certain people were disappointed. God has given me this opportunity to share and lead and for Him to use me, and I haven't been doing my part. I ended the night discouraged and woke up this morning with that same sense. As I was leaving, however, I began to think of the meaning behind the song. How should I prepare myself for this song? By praising Him for the time I do have before Sunday. By understanding the meaning. I look at the words and I know that it is my story of how God found and saved me. Even more, "You alone can rescue" has so much relevance for the everyday challenges that I've been encountering.

Lately, I've been hearing various world views at work like people believing that the Bible is just a bunch of stories to help us be better. On a t.v. program I watched last night, this man gave his son an inspirational picture of a tree that said, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger". It's like this constant effort of most people to find morals and good lessons outside of the gospel and God's word. It is like skim milk. Watered down yuck. {just an illustration, I like skim}

How about the show Guliana and Bill? I watched it the other night and was close to being sick because of how petty they were being. Any little stress they had or problem would be solved by money. They would come up with this extravagant plan (like going on an expensive couples retreat challenge week)to forget that they had stress or issues (like everyone else). It made me kind of sick -- one of the comments that the main actress reacted with was "Oooh, I need a gift" -- after her husband administered a shot to her (like a fertility shot) that caused a very small amount of pain (and all of her fears are usually treated this way, with pampering). In that same show, Guliana and Bill fly to an expensive resort in Arizona (they live in Chicago) for a couples retreat because they are stressed out due to infertility. The couples (their friends) all experience competitive tension because it is a challenge retreat where they are competing for a heavy golden cup. They end up going to this ranch which is part of the resort, where this horse whisperer/psychologist tries to judge what their fears are based on whether or not they can pick up the horse's hoof. If they can't move it, that means they are struggling with a fear or jealousy or anger. It seemed like this guy just pulled these things out of the sky! Okay, so you didn't pick up the horse's hoof. Why have you been treating your husband like he is unworthy of you lately? WHAT?! They are trying to figure out and solve their problems by meaningless things. By the end of this exercise with the horse whisperer person, they had all cried and bonded. Seriously, I am not trying to be cynical -- this exercise was just ridiculous! My cousin and I were laughing the whole time. What would happen to them if they went bankrupt or lost their jobs? I mean, sure, it's nice to get away when you are stressed, but on this show it seems like such a cop-out.

People are so hungry and are looking in all the wrong places! Or better yet, think of the ways that people try to earn their salvation or measure up to God's standards without knowing Him or being forgiven by Him. "You Alone Can Rescue" really resonates with me because of that; Only GOD can save me from this world and myself, my sinful and unworthy self. I am so full of flaws. Please pray for Sunday, for our time of worship, for my heart. I want to be a living testimony through this, whether I do great or terribly. Sure, I can learn the lyrics and the notes, but without really connecting to the truth of this song, it will not be more than just a song. I want to worship Him. Please feel free to post any scripture or personal testimonies that relate to this song. Love you guys.

Here are the lyrics:

YOU ALONE CAN RESCUE, Matt Redman

Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still
(Repeat 1x)

You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise

You, oh Lord, have made a way
The great divide You heal
For when our hearts were far away
Your love went further still
Yes, your love goes further still

You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise
(Repeat 2x)

You alone

We lift up our eyes, lift up our eyes
You’re the Giver of Life
(Repeat 7x)

You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise
(Repeat 2x)

To You alone