Declaration of Dependence

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

~Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

Lord, I am but a youth, and I am weak and tired. Without You, I will fall in exhaustion. Help me to trust in You with all that I am, holding nothing back, that I might find Your strength. Your power is perfected in weakness; let me accept that I am weak and cannot bring You glory on my own. Then, Lord, let me run hard for You and not grow weary on the journey. Let me walk patiently where You lead and not grow faint. You are trustworthy, Father, and You are good. Even when You lay down crimson dots for me to follow where I have not been before, still I know You are sovereign and You will not fail to make Your Name known among the nations.

My heart is restless as I wander through this jungle

The trees above refuse to let the sunlight through

And somewhere deep inside I hear the whispered longings

That tell me I was made for more than this

A blinding flash of light falls down into the darkness

Slowly I notice strange new markings on the trail

The crimson drops are calling out to me, "Come and follow"

"I am the God who made you, let Me show you how to live"

And I cry...

I want to be a God follower / I want to go wherever He leads

I want to be a God follower / I want to walk the trail He's marked for me

And be a God follower (1)

"Wherever He leads..." Those are serious words. They mean that I am surrendering control (which I never really had) and that I am confessing and acknowledging that You alone, Lord, are setting the course of my life. You may send me across the world in a few months. You may intend for me to die for Your Name's sake. Or You may have me live out a long life as a perpetual offering to You. All are heavy callings. But by Your strength, I can overcome.

Chorus: Bring it on / Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow

Bring it on / Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong / Bring it on

Now, maybe you’re thinkin’ I’m crazy / And maybe I need to explain some things

‘Cause I know I’ve got an enemy waiting / Who wants to bring me pain

But what he never seems to remember / What he means for evil God works for good

So I will not retreat or surrender (chorus)

Now, I don’t want to sound like some hero / ‘Cause it’s God alone that my hope is in

But I’m not gonna run from the very things / That would drive me closer to Him

So bring it on (2)

At the end of it all, my longing is to know Christ, to love Him as He deserves, and to make Him known. I have always wanted a higher purpose, a cause to fight for and change the world. Yet I have realized that nothing temporal will ever satisfy this longing. It is chasing down the wind. Still You are patient and You do not fail to draw me back to You time and again.

Lord, You know how much / I want to know so much

In the way of answers and explanations

I have cried and prayed / And still I seem to stay

In the middle of life’s complications

All this pursuing leaves me feeling / like I’m chasing down the wind

But now it’s brought me back to You / And I can see again

This is everything I want / This is everything I need

I want this to be my one consuming passion

Everything my heart desires, Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus

Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again / Take me to depths I’ve never been

Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy

Return me to the cross / And let me be completely lost

In the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me

Cut through these chains that tie me down / to so many lesser things

Let all my dreams fall to the ground / Until this one remains (3)

(1) "God Follower", by Steven Curtis Chapman

(2) "Bring It On", by Steven Curtis Chapman

(3) "Magnificent Obsession", by Steven Curtis Chapman