Sundown
Light fades
into stumbling
~ E.M. ✍️
(John 11:9)
Tag Archives: scripture
Hope of the World (Redux)
So much has been written about mankind’s need for hope, and there’s never been a time when we didn’t need it. Scripture says, ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.’ (Romans 15:13 ESV) ~ E.M.
Hope of the World ushers in a radiant light, instills hope, and leaves you with a smile that lingers
The Further
I was asked recently about the journey of this song, as in how did it get to this version, and on this album? It’s no doubt the oldest song on the project. It was written twenty years ago and has gone through quite a few differing arrangements over that time. I was never really happy with it, in fact I had no intentions of including it on an album back in 2011 called The Twelve. It took some prodding from a voice on my accountability team. And yes, I have a real accountability team that keeps me on the straight and narrow, or at least it attempts too. I included it back then because it was always an engaging song during times of worship. What made me uncomfortable was not the message, I love the message, but the musical setting never quite felt right. I always struggled to find a nice little niche to sing it from …where it didn’t feel awkward.
The Chapel Songs project was created as a collection of easy to access worship songs for the small church, not that they couldn’t be embellished and sung in larger communities, but so many of todays popular recordings can be intimidating for musicians who aren’t professionals, and I wanted to provide an album of songs a single guitarist or pianist could lead with.
So I revisited this song and toyed with some sparse arrangements, and eventually found one that made me smile, and that was it. The lyric video is an unplugged version of the album track and presents an even simpler approach. The message is still intact, and is certainly still relevant. God’s messages always are!
Hope of the world
Shine on us
You are the Answer
Fill up our hearts, fill up our souls
Lure us away from all that’s wrong
Fill up our hearts, fill up our souls
Give us the strength to carry on
Here we stand, blessed with each new day
Here we stand, humbled works of clay
© 2003 Eddy Mann
CCLI #6123488
Hissongs / ASCAP
You can listen/stream the album version here on my website
I’d love to hear your thoughts
Pray on,
Eddy
Tall, Strong and Lovingly
I’ve met many people in my life. Some that thought they were better than me because they had more education. Some thought they were better because they had more money. And then there were some that thought they were better than me because they knew the Bible better.
Life is ultimately filled with all different kinds of people that are all struggling to find their way. Because the road is fraught with failures, some individuals create an image of themselves that quite possibly isn’t true.
Now the reasoning for such created images are probably seeded in some kind of personal insecurity. The doubts and fears can cause the best of us to want to invent a better us, a stronger us, a more secure us.
The problem is that the new self, underneath the invented one, still retains the same shortcomings.
The imagined persona is just a created character that acts one way in front of others, but still falters when no one is looking.
The desire to share this dilemma is that you and I are sometimes innocently attacked by the lie. Over the years I’ve detected such instances early on and have been able to protect myself. But as a youngling I often felt prey to the demeaning words and uppity actions of others.
In retrospect I’ve discovered that the well educated were often very disappointed in their standing in life, the affluent were often living in fear of losing all that they had acquired, and all the Bible knowledge in the world did no good if it couldn’t be applied to a life.
When we strive to please God instead of the broken world we live in, we are bound to feel good at the end of the day.
Knowing that you did all that you could to make this world a more loving place lifts our spirits and more importantly make our God smile.
So walk tall today and tomorrow, walk strong today and tomorrow, and walk lovingly today, tomorrow and everyday we’re blessed with.
Pray on,
Eddy
Today
Last Sunday was a crisp, fresh day that was filled with worship, fellowship, and wonderfully creative and nourishing meals. Last Sunday I offered my gifts and my love to others. Last Sunday was the day that the Lord had made, and I rejoiced in it!
Each day contains unimaginable joy. We wake each morning to endless opportunities to serve. What we make of those opportunities creates the amount of joy we, and others, will experience. You see the joy is in the giving. The joy is in making others smile. The joy is in making others feel loved.
Last Sunday is today! It’s everyday!
“This (today) is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 ESV)
Pray on,
Eddy
Originally posted July 19, 2015
Sons and Daughters
There is nothing that replaces family. We have an inherent need for kindredship. Our earthly tribe offers us comfort, understanding, and security. It’s the one place that we prayerfully are excepted just the way we are. But lost in our limited worldly existence, is the truth that we actually share in a much larger spiritual brother and sisterhood. The Author of all we know calls us sons and daughters. The Creator of the universe knows each of us by name and we are his children.
‘Creation’s not His final act
E.M.
Beyond the wind and waters
Redemption is his final work
When in Christ we’re all sons and daughters’
The inspiration for this song was from a meditation on 2 Corinthians 6:18 where we hear God saying, ‘… I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.’ This is actually a quote from 2 Samuel 7:14, and Isaiah 43:6.
My mother never knew her earthly father, but very early on she was blessed to embraced her heavenly one. Over the years that relationship grew to be unbelievably strong. She found in her earthly brokenness, a healing bond, a heavenly Father that she would never be separated from. She really was going home as her life here came to an end. She was going home to be with her ever loving Father in heaven.
It’s that kind of love that we’re all invited into. It’s that kind of endless love that our Father pours out on us each day. It’s that kind of unimaginable love that we’re capable of as his children, made in his image, created as family here and for eternity.
‘Surrender your heart
E.M.
Surrender your life
Surrender your bark
Surrendered your bite
Peace released from the heavens above
Misery ceased
In the arms of love’
I wanted the soundscape to be a driving force. To negotiate through this life requires a deep spiritual strength. The darkness that surround us can be daunting if not downright demanding. So I stepped into a different sonic space to create what I felt was a strong supporting platform for this timeless message.
It’s certainly a return to some of my early roots, and it was actually quite a bit of fun to crank up the volume again. The early response has been very favorable and I’m looking forward to the moment when we can bring it to life in a live setting.
Until that time please feel free to share your thoughts on the song and on the entire album which is dropping February 19, 2021.
Pray on,
Eddy
Works 