Ahh it’s that time again.  Monday’s Music Mediations.  I must say, music is something I’m going to miss while on the Race.  I’m sure I’m going to gain a new appreciation for simply gathering with others and singing songs, but I’m going to miss being able to just turn on the tunes whenever I please.  God speaks to me so much through music.  I’ll have to make sure I tune myself in to hear the music of the world so as not to miss what He’s sill trying to tell me.

But anyway, enough of that tangential stuff.  That’s not what Monday’s Music Meditations are supposed to be about.  Today I have chosen three songs for you.  They don’t really tie together in any special way.  They are simply three songs I am mildly obsessed with, each for their own reasons.

The first song is from Illinois grown Matthew West.  We grow them well here 🙂  Anyway, this is a song off his latest CD that I can’t seem to take off of repeat lately.  It is called “Stop the World” and is a great reflection about the need to quite ourselves and tune into God’s voice.  Before you listen to the song though, I encourage you to watch this video and listen to Matthew West talk about the song and the importance of it.  It’s really quite good.  At the end of it he does start singing so don’t worry.  Listen to his words though, don’t fast forward.  It’s powerful.
 
 
 “Stop The World”
The TV is talking
The telephone’s ringing
The lights are all on
And the radio’s screaming
A million distractions are stealing my heart from You
I’m tired and empty
This life is relentless
It weakens my knees
And breaks my defenses
It’s wearing me down and I’m desperate to hear from You

Stop the world I wanna get out
I need an escape away from this crowd
Just to hear You speak to me

I need to be still before I make a move
I need to be humble with nothing to prove
I need Your Word to show me the truth
And I need time, precious time

Stop the world I wanna get out
I need an escape away from this crowd
Just to hear You speak to me
Stop the world I’m ready to listen
Show me sign, give me a vision of heaven
I can hold on to
Stop the world I need some time with You

Before I can find my voice
I need to hear Your voice
Above all the senseless noise
 

The next song comes from a band you’ve probably never heard of (though last time I said that I was proved wrong).  I was flipping through the radio when I stumbled across this band, Among the Thirsty and their song “I’d Need A Savior.”  Talk about powerful!  Take a moment out of your day to reflect on this song and let God speak to you through these words as He did to me.

 
How many names can I use to explain the love of my Jesus,
The life that he gave and so many times will I praise you today.
I lift up my life ‘cause you’re always the same
And my offering to you I bring

Chorus:
Your name is Jesus. Your name is Jesus.
You’re the Wonderful, Counselor, my Friend.
You’re what I hold on to; I know that you brought me through
All the days of loss, to the cross you knew
I’d need a Savior._
How many songs can I sing to proclaim your wondrous love and beauty so great?
What would I say if you brought down the rain and everyday
Walk through the pain my heart would still say…

Chorus:

You’re what I hold on to; I know that you brought me through
All the days of loss, to the cross you knew
I’d need a Savior.
I’d need a Savior

I need you, Savior
 
The last song I want to share with you is one that has really touched my heart in a special way over the past few weeks.  I shared this with the rest of the World Racers last week because I feel it really puts into words what we are about to do.  Anyway, this song, “Speaking Louder Than Before” by Jeremy Camp has become pretty much my new personal mantra going into this Race and this video is what I watch to remind myself of the importance of my role in being the hands and feet of Christ on this Earth.  I’d encourage you to watch the video once, keeping in mind these are all August World Racers about to leave, and then reflect on the lyrics.

Hear now this declaration
From out across the nations
We need to wake up and understand

Many hurting hearts are crying
But our voices seem to be dying
Can you see the battle raging on?

We are the light to reach this world
We are the salt preserving these souls
Let’s show them the love that we’ve received now

We are, we are in desperation
We need to reach this generation
We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that’s been forgotten
We have a love that will be brought and
We are speaking louder than before

Take every chance that you can
Move together taking a stand
Never losing heart, we’ll speak as one

We need to be the image of Christ
Show love and serve at all times
We can make a difference in these lands

We are the light to reach this world
We are the salt preserving these souls
Let’s show them the love that we’ve received now

We are, we are in desperation
We need to reach this generation
We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that’s been forgotten
We have the love that will be brought and
We are speaking louder than before

Everything’s so surreal
But this urgency I feel
We should be reaching out to all these desperate pleas

Oh, the need is real can’t you feel
This call to revolution
My beating heart is breaking for them
That’s why I’m speaking now
That’s why I’m speaking now

We are, we are in desperation
We need to reach this generation
We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that’s been forgotten
We have a love that will be brought and
We are speaking louder than before

We are, we are, we’re speaking louder
We are, we are, we’re speaking louder
We are speaking louder than before
We are speaking louder than before
Oh, yeah