Casa Jonsson

11 12 2006

“I Believe” (2003)

This is a song I wrote in November 2003. Take a look at the lead sheet and the lead sheet, capo 3 (Acrobat Reader required).

Listen to a demo track I made of this song in 2005 ( hi-fi or lo-fi).

I completed an acoustic pop arrangement of this song for seven instruments in January 2004:

Listen to a live performance of the arrangement from a service at our church in 2004.

You’re always welcome to contact me with comments or questions.

About the song

This is a song about the manifold effects that the gospel of Christ has on the life of the believer. Everything does not necessarily become rosy in this life—quite the contrary, if Ro 8:18–25 and 1Pe 4:12–16 have any relevance. But we can, in Francis Schaeffer’s words, expect “substantial healing” in every area affected by the curse of original sin. In these words, I tried to strike a careful balance between acknowledging uncertainty of our temporal welfare and affirming sure hope in regard to our eternal welfare.

The first verse speaks of God’s help in overcoming iniquity (using the words of an anonymous Puritan prayer); the second, of God’s protection from calamity (retelling the incident recorded in Lk 8:22–25); and the third, of God’s healing of infirmity (recalling the events of Mk 10:46ff.). Each of these is a consequence of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, but the full measure of these benefits arrives only after his second Advent (Rev 21:1–4).

Hemmed in by mountains of sin,

(anon. Puritan)

I stumble through the valley—

I unravel from within.

But You lift my head, I behold

(Ps 3:3)

Your glory in my valley,

(anon. Puritan; cf. Isa 22:5)

All around me, where You’ve been

(Isa 6:3; Acts 17:27f.)

All along.

My faith is small, but make it bold!