The things we leave behind

Michael Card wrote this song some twenty years ago.

But it remains one of the songs that speaks most cuttingly to my heart.

Especially in our society, the topics bandied about from coffeeshops to fine restaurants always seem to be revolving around acquiring one’s next property, or a new car.

Everytime we visit a new condo, the girls get pretty excited. Wow, the lift lobby has aircon! Or piped-in music. The lift opens right into your personal unit alone! Look at that swanky pool, with the half-submerged deck chairs, or the large function room with nice furniture……

Then there are people who mentally categorise you, once you reveal your job (or lack thereof). Sometimes overtly and deliberately, but sometimes subconsciously, as I sometimes find myself doing, which I suppose is actually more insiduous and should be more disturbing.

So this song reminds me that there is so much FREEDOM to be found from the things we leave behind. A truth that I am so wont to forget.

There sits Simon,
so foolishly wise
proudly he’s tending his nets
Then Jesus calls,
and the boats drift away
all that he owns he forgets

More than the nets
he abandoned that day,
he found that his pride was soon drifting away
It’s hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful
of taking the tax,
pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call,
he responded in faith
followed the Light and the Way

Leaving the people
so puzzled he found,
the greed in his heart
was no longer around and
it’s hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
we leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free,
from possessions
that hold it so tight
‘Cause freedom’s not found in the things that we own,
It’s the power
to do what is right
Jesus, our only possession,
giving becomes our delight
We can’t imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives
by worshipping goods we possess
Jesus has laid all our treasures aside
“love God above all the rest”

‘Cause when we say ‘no’
to the things of the world
we open our hearts
to the love of the Lord and
its hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Oh, and it’s hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
we leave behind

When a friend mentioned that Michael Card would be coming to Singapore, and conducting a 3 hour worship workshop, I really wanted to go.  After all, I do have at least 4 of his CDs, including the epic series “The Life”, which is a double-disc boxed set with 29 songs, tracing the Life of Christ.

At a time when Bob Fitts and Don Moen was all the rage (don’t shoot me), I much preferred his thoughtful lyrics, laced with gentle irony, with layers of meaning and a strong focus on God instead of self.

His song-writing deeply reflected his Masters in Biblical Theology and strong interest in classical literature. He also authored or co-authored more than 20 books, wow.

So this Saturday, I’ll get to meet the man as he conducts this 3 hour workshop on “engaging Scripture through music and books, applying facts in our heads to aches in our hearts, and to honestly wrestle with Scripture”.

Grateful for this opportunity to gather with the saints!

 If there’s only one Michael Card song you ever hear in your life, God’s own Fool should be it.

Seems I’ve imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God’s Holy wisdom is foolish to man
He must have seemed out of His mind
Even His family said He was mad
And the priest said a demon’s to blame
But, God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane

We in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
We in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong
So we follow God’s own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable, come be a fool as well

So come lose your life for a carpenter’s son
For a madman who died for a dream
And You’ll have the faith His first followers had
And you’ll feel the weight of the beam
So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Find the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see

So we follow God’s own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable, come be a fool as well

A few other favourite songs in case you’re interested:

• Home
• The basin and the towel
• Poem of your life