This Worship Life

Our church voted Revelation Song as one of their top four favorite anthems from 2009. We’re worshiping with this song on February 7. If you’re in Starkville, come join us at 10:55!

The Story Behind “Revelation Song”
By Jennie Riddle

I gave my life to Jesus back in 1988. There was a new song out at the time entitled, “I Hear Angels” by Garrit Gustafson. The lyrics read:

“I hear angels singing praises, I see men from every nation, bowing down before the throne… like the sound of many waters… like the rushing wind around us… multitudes join the song… and a symphony of praise arises… tears are wiped away from eyes as men from every tongue and tribe all sing…. Holy, holy… God almighty… who was, and is, and is to come…”

I remember looking up and around asking, “Where God? I want to see and hear that too!” Those prophetic words from Mr. Gustafson took residence within me, became the lullaby sung over each of my children, and fueled an earnest, decade long prayer to see multitudes gathered around the throne.

Back in 1999, I had just changed my 20,446th diaper (yes… I count… don’t you? ), and began singing the aforementioned lullaby over my fourth son, Andrew, as we cuddled in our blue chair. My keyboard was broken down, and I simply didn’t have the energy to set it up; it had been a really tough “mommy” day. The guitar (which I didn’t really play) was accessible, my spaghetti dinner was begging to be cooked and calling my name… but so was the Holy Spirit. I, again, began telling Him how much I wanted to SEE and HEAR all creation worshipping Him. The songs being sung by the Bride at that time were focusing on need. My heart longed to focus on something far greater than my need, knowing that all needs would be satisfied with just one glimpse of Him.

Therefore, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me write a song that painted Him; a song that the angels and creation were already singing, so that we could join in with One Voice, as One Bride, to One King. My heart recalled Ezekiel 1:26-28 and Revelation 4.

“And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that’s what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God! (Message)

“…a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightenings, thunderings, and voices… Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal… And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures… And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’…”

I put the baby down to play with his toys, picked up the guitar, and began to play four chords I had figured out how to play the day before. Immersed in those scriptures, the Lord helped me paint what I was seeing through those passages,” Clothed in rainbows of living color, flashes of lightening, rolls of thunder…” The melody stuck. It had the sound of heaven in it. The song wouldn’t leave me and I sang it for weeks. I can still hear the Lord whispering to me that He would carry this song across the world. I remember thinking how cool it was going to be to have a couple of my missionary friends carry it to the natives in the bush to be sung around campfires. I had no idea…

Check out the following links:

Kari Jobe singing Revelation Song http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=c455e06ebd06647fc4de

http://www.JennieRiddle.com for a video of the author telling the story and of more info about her music.

And So We Stand was written to coincide with our church-wide study Experiencing God Together in the summer of 2007. The vision for the song came as a desire to express the whole of the church standing in unity, confronting the grace and truth of God and experiencing the reality of His presence together. The chorus reads:

And so we stand; we are amazed
to know your truth, to feel your grace.
We hear your voice. We seek your face,
following your purpose and your plan;
and so we stand.”

There is a bit of lyric that leads into the chorus after each verse. It’s called the pre-chorus! This text comes from Chips oft quoted reference 2 Chron 16:9 ” For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” My version is quite similar but perhaps a little more succinct: You search throughout the whole-wide world, to strenghten those whose hearts are fully Yours.

The verses are statements of faith and worship, while the bridge holds an important key to bring the entire song together. Try using the word ‘experiencing’ in a song; too many syllables! However, the bridge does utilize that important concept word and adds a new dimension to the personal worship nature of the verses by saying that we stand together experiencing God as His Church.

Here then is the entire lyric, enjoy!

Verse 1
You are holy, You are awesome
You alone are God and you reign supreme
I am humbled by your presence
You alone are God and Lord of everything

PreChorus
You search throughout the whole-wide world
to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Yours.

Chorus
And so we stand.
We are amazed
to know your truth,
to feel your grace.
We hear your voice.
We seek your face.
Following your purpose and your plan;
and so we stand.

Verse 2
We are children by your calling.
We’re your servants and we’re saved by grace alone.
You are Abba, Abba Father
Boldly we will come,
with joy surround your throne.

Bridge
And so we stand together
Experiencing God
We are His church forever
Purchased by His blood
We’re bound to Him whatever,
with ties no one can sever;
A chosen race, a nation of His love.

Ready to paint, ready for football.

The youth are working in five different Backyard Bible School sites this week, teaching Bible stories, helping children in crafts, serving them lunches and of course, playing with the kids. There might be five to over thirty children at a site, and the kids come at different times. Our youth are excellent leaders! They are handling the differing situations with a wonderful attitude of service and love.

An extra opportunity came up at one particular site that is a park in an American Indian community. The park was somewhat overgrown, had lots of trash and a recreation building that was filled inside and out with graffiti. With Pastor Jim’s guidance the youth spent an afternoon clearing trash, mowing an entire baseball field and painting the building and somehow at the same time playing softball, soccer, tag and hanging out with neighborhood kids.

Our evening was spent in worship with our camp worship leaders: Josh, Ricky and Sammy. It was greatly encouraging to see our youth really engaged in the worship experience. The Spirit moved in our lives as the youth sang and responded in worship through singing, testimonies, preaching and prayers. They are indeed a great force in the kingdom of God!