Song Saturday #4

Phil Hargrove is the contemporary ministries pastor at First Pres and the fearless leader of our LIFE group. He is engaging, dedicated, and caring - everything a pastor should be! Just so you know, that picture isn't of Phil. That's David Wilcox. We'll get to him in a second...

Last year Phil surprised his wife for their 14th wedding anniversary with a specially planned dinner and live music. I had the honor of playing a few songs for them as they enjoyed their meal. One of Phil's requests was for me to learn David Wilcox's "Show the Way."

At first I thought it was a funny request for an anniversary meal. It's not about love in the conventional, mushy-gushy, eskimo kiss, box of chocolates, dinner-and-a-movie type way. This song is about seeing God's redemption in a world that is full of hurt and brokenness.

After a little bit of thought, I realized it's the perfect song for an anniversary, because a marriage is not just roses and riding off in the sunset. It's full of ups and downs, hurt feelings and inadequacies and struggles. But mostly, it's full of love that redeems all that stuff. How cool to remember that Love is writing the play.

I love singer-songwriters in general, I have a special spot in my heart for David Wilcox, and I have just come home from a weekend full of community service. I saw hurt and brokenness in our community this weekend, but I also saw the God's people coming together to help.

This song says everything I feel today. I hope you enjoy it.

Now I know:
There is evil cast around us, but it's Love that wrote the play.




You say you see no hope
You say you see no reason we should dream
That the world would ever change
You say the love is foolish to believe
'Cause they'll always be some crazy
With an army or a knife
To wake you from your daydream
Put the fear back in your life

Look
If someone wrote a play
To just to glorify what's stronger than hate
Would they not arrange the stage
To look as if the hero came too late?
He's almost in defeat
It's looking like the evil side will when
So on the edge of every seat
From the moment that the whole thing begins

It is love who mixed the mortar
And it's love who stacked these stones
And it's love who made the stage here
Although it looks like we're alone
In this scene, set in shadows,
Like the night is here to stay
There is evil cast around us
But it's love that wrote the play
For in this darkness love can show the way

Now the stage is set
You can feel your own heart beating in your chest
This life's not over yet
So we get up on our feet and do our best
We play against the fear
We play against the reasons not to try
We're playing for the tears
Burning in the happy angel's eyes

For it's love who mixed the mortar
And it's love who stacked these stones
And it's love who made the stage here
Though it looks like we're alone
In this scene, set in shadows,
Like the night is here to stay
There is evil cast around us
But it's love that wrote the play
For in this darkness love will show the way