Steadfast

This song isn’t necessarily new, but it may be new to you. Steadfast is a song written by Sandra McCracken, Josh Silverberg, and Leslie Jordan. It debuted on McCracken’s album in 2016 titled “God’s Way”.

Every hurricane season, we see images of coastal communities devastated by a storm. Predictably, the beachfront properties often sustain major damage. Despite the knowledge of history’s vivid paintings, we humans continue to think we can outsmart these storms year after year, and we build homes on sand again and again and again. We combine science and engineering to build structures to withstand what we predict will happen in the next storm. We dig down deeper to get below the sand, to bedrock, and anchor the home – so that it’s not built “on sand”. Because really, the Bible is literal right? Who in their right mind would actually build a house on sand? That would be foolish – even the Bible says so…

In our personal lives, we do the same thing. We put our hope and security in the circumstances of a life that we’ve science’d and engineered for ourselves. We combine the knowledge of our ancestors, insight from experts, and the encouragement from gurus to form a firm foundation that we think will protect us from the storms of life. Education, financial planning, family planning (1 kid or 20 and counting), etc. All these things we systematically put in to place to the best of our ability, in order to plant ourselves on a firm foundation for life. And don’t get me wrong, there are many Biblical principals that guide us in these decisions and we should always heed them.

But year after year, we see those “securities” being eroded away as if to say we’ve built on sand. Some of life’s storms carry such power that it completely wipes out what we thought was a solid foundation. The constants of an ever changing world of circumstances are an unrelenting storm. And that doesn’t even really cover the storms like the loss of a loved one, health problems, relationship problems, and more.  Often, we need a stronger foundation.

In the first verse of this song, there’s an obvious scripture reference to Jesus’s words recorded in Matthew 7:24-27. (The part where He talks about building on a rock vs sand.) In that metaphor, Jesus is the rock. Build a life centered and focused on Him, and while the winds will blow, and the rains will cause flooding, the house will stand.

I will build my houseWhether storm or droughtOn the rock that does not moveI will set my hopeIn your love, O LordAnd your faithfulness will proveYou are steadfast, steadfast
In the second verse, McCracken references the power of God’s voice. Despite the strength of the wind and the power of water, we can rest. Because the same God that created those things, watches over us with His steadfast love.
By the word you spokeAll the starry hostAre called out by name each nightIn your watchful careI will rest secureAs you lead us with your lightYou are steadfast, steadfast
In verse three, we’re reminded again that Jesus is our rock. Not the government of man. God ordained government for an orderly society. Whether it be by elected officials or royal blood, it is by God’s design. But, that doesn’t mean we place our life’s foundation on the government. Jesus is the only authority on which we can build life’s foundation. And on His promise, we should rise and shout aloud, “Hallelujah to the Lamb!”
I will not trust in the strength of kingsOn your promise I will standI will shout for joy, I will raise my voiceHallelujah to the Lamb!You are steadfast, steadfast
But when those trials come…
In the moment of emptinessAll was fulfilledIn the hour of darknessYour light was revealedIn the presence of deathYour life was affirmedIn the absence of holiness,You are still God.
You are steadfast, steadfastYou are steadfast, steadfast.
In a YouTube video, Sandra talks about how reading thru the Psalms led her to these lyrics. I like how she references Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” in the story of this song. She says, “It’s God’s defiance against all that is broken, and His ultimate victory over those things. And the way He accomplishes those things is by His own steadfast, unrelenting, pursuing love.”
Nothing compares to the “steadfast, unrelenting, pursuing love” of Christ Jesus our Lord!
“I will build my house, whether storm or drought, on the rock that does not move…”

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