Through my battle with dermatomyositis, this is a song that placed air in my lungs when I could barely breathe (figuratively, that is). Not because it’s such a well crafted song, but because the Scriptures are truly life-giving. I needed a song that voiced these truths for me, even though I was too weak to sing it.

Hebrews has always been one of my favorite books, due to its glorification and vivid description of Jesus as our high priest. There is nothing we face on this earth that causes Jesus to spill His coffee and fall off his throne. I have been on the verge of despair many times, but the truth that we “do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet with out sin” (Heb. 4:15), can keep the most depressed soul afloat – mine included.

Oh, where would I be without the Savior Jesus who intercedes for me!

The verses of this song speak of human weakness and God’s strength. The chorus is a cry to draw near to God with lines taken directly from Scripture (I hope the writer of Hebrews isn’t upset with me in Heaven!).

This is what we must do in times of pain and times of joy – always draw near to our God who loves us and carries our burdens. My heart seems to return to the truth of this song and these scriptures quite often because I’m so prone to forget!

My challenge to you today is this: feed your soul with the rock-solid Truth of Scripture. Don’t just read it like you read a good novel or watch a good movie. Hang on every word. Apply it to your darkest circumstances. Believe it till your last, dying breath. God’s Word will never let you down.

When all is lost
When all seems broken
I tell myself that You are worthy
There is no pain
There is no struggle
You have not felt and cannot conquer

We have this great High Priest
Jesus, the righteous Son of God
We have this Sovereign King
Who’s given us access to His throne

So let us draw near with hearts of faith
To find all we need at the throne of grace
Let us draw near to God
Let us draw near to His heart

When my heart is weak
No song seems to surface
I stir up my soul to bow in worship
There is no time
No season, no suffering
Where You are no longer worth my offering

We will draw near
We will draw near to You, O Lord
We will draw near
Press into knowing You, Jesus

As you may have noticed, the word ‘glory’ shows up quite a bit throughout this album. Glory is one of my favorite words when relating to God. Though it will never describe the fullness of his countenance, it gives vivid description here on earth.

Habakkuk declares,

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (2:14).

One of the key visions of this album and of my music is to awaken a passion for the glory of God. Habbakuk also mentions in 2:3,

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”

What is the vision? The vision is the glory of God filling the earth as the waters cover the sea. I have tried my best to make it plain and do what I can in drawing attention to His greatness. As the song says, this is the hour for the church of Jesus to raise the banner. We must rise up and give our lives for Christ’s glory.

What are you contributing?

Let the nations come to see Your rising glory
Let every heart be satisfied as they glimpse your beauty
Let the worshipers come forth and take their rightful place
Calling out across the earth, “This is the day of praise”

Jesus, make us holy
Savior, inspire a passion for what is worthy

As the waters cover the sea
Let the earth be filled with Your glory

Let the broken be made whole
Let the weakened souls be strong
Let the fearful ones take heart
Let the prodigals come home
Let righteousness prevail in our homes and churches
Help us run this holy race with perseverance

This is the hour for the church of Jesus to raise the banner
For what we believe to really matter
To see Your glory rise
How can we say we follow with heart set on earthly idols?
It’s time to lift our vision higher
To see Your glory rise

One of my personal goals as a writer is to craft songs that challenge and inspire. If the Bible says something that is hard (“Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”), I want to do what it says. We need songs that speak of the tender heart of God but also songs that lead us to embrace the cost of following Jesus. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously quoted, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die”.

“For the Glory” is a song for the church that articulates its mission and heart. Our purpose is to bring glory to God on this earth. We are giving our lives to see the nations stand before God at the end of the age, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ! I wanted to write a song that reminded us of what Christ graciously demands – offering all we are, knowing the Word, praying without ceasing, taking hold of the cross, counting the cost, etc.

May you be challenged to count the cost of what it means to follow Christ today and surrender all in pursuit of His highest glory!

The song “That All May Worship” was directly inspired by one of the most uncomfortable Bible passages that I know of – Amos 5:18-27. The harsh language that God used towards the Israelites really made me think about the nature of our worship today. I like to think of this song as a “redeemed” cry of Israel.

Throughout the Old Testament era Israel was a stubborn, rebellious nation. They were called to reveal the one true God to the nations – instead they peddled in the pagan sins of those very nations. Amos chapter 5 expresses Israel’s sin of longing for the coming day of God, yet refusing to lay their lives down and extend their hands in true justice and mercy “today”.

They were neglecting the poor. They refused justice and righteousness in court. They despised the truth – all the while living in luxurious mansions, caring for lush vineyards.

It is GOOD to desire the coming day of God (In the New Testament we are actually commanded to speed its coming), but if we are neglecting the very will of God for today, than something is wrong. I pray that this song would be a “redeemed” cry of Israel for the church today – that we would shout with expectancy, “Come Lord!”, yet at the same time give our lives away for the Kingdom and glory of God on earth today.

I had the verse and chorus crafted for months and couldn’t seem to give it that finishing touch. My good friend, Brad Bichsel, helped me write a bridge that really blows the top off for me. I love the choir of voices that help me sing on the bridge. I suggest you lend your voice as well.

We worship the risen Christ who is calling all nations to Himself!

We are waiting for the kingdom come
We are desperate for Your glory, God
We are longing for the coming day
When every tribe and tongue will see Your face

Yet today we pray
Yes, our lives will say today

Let justice roll through our actions
Let mercy extend through our hands
That Christ may be seen by the nations
That all may worship Him

We worship the Lamb that was slain
We worship the Christ Who was stained
For the nations of earth to kneel and proclaim
You are God

This song has to have the most interesting title on the whole album. For a long time I have been fascinated by Habakkuk’s prayer at the end of his book. We all know we’re supposed to have joy in our trials, but when the pain is so strong, the last thing we want to do is rejoice. It’s in these situations I want my heart and mind to be informed by Scripture, not my own mind dictating my response.

This song was birthed directly out of a painful physical battle. To this day, I am still not fully healed, but I am awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise for me.

Habakkuk’s prayer in 3:17-19 lists his own struggle with the promise of God’s justice. I almost decided against writing this song because the struggle of Habakkuk seemed irrelevant to today – fig trees, fruit, the produce of olives, flocks, herds – not your everyday prayer request.

But then I was confronted with this truth: if we dismiss parts of the Bible as irrelevant, we are in danger of deciding for ourselves what to apply and what not to apply.

I wrote this song mainly word for word from the ESV translation of the Bible, and added a few of my own struggles through this difficult time. Each line has significant meaning for me personally. I was feeling the ‘the pain of loss’ as a worship leader unable to sing, a musician unable to play an instrument, and a leader unable to lead due to health problems.

This is a song I go back to when the pain is strong and God feels far away. “I will take joy in the God of my salvation!”

Though the fig tree should not blossom
Nor fruit be on the vines
Though the produce of the olive fail
And the fields should yield no food
Though the flock be cut off from the fold
And their be no herd in the stalls
Though justice seems so far away
I know that I am yours
Yes, I am yours

And I will rejoice
I will rejoice in the Lord
I will rejoice
I will take joy in the God of my salvation
I will rejoice

Though weakness be my only state
And the pain of loss so strong
Though I don’t understand your ways
I know I’m held in your arms
And this will be my song

You are my strength, O Sovereign Lord
You make my feet just like the deer
You enable my heart to tread the mountains
You bring hope, You are hope