Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
We plan to open this Sunday’s service with the song “What I See.” Since we have only sung it together two or three times in the past, it may be new to many of you. Before I share what the song means to me, you can listen to it and follow along using the YouTube link and lyrics pasted below.
Lyrics: “What I See”
(Intro)
Do you see what I see?
Do you see what I see?
(Verse 1)
I see lightning, I hear thunder
Something stirring six feet under
Dead things coming back to life again
I believe there’s about to be another resurrection
(Verse 2)
I see signs and I see wonders
I see bursts of living color
Dead things coming back to life again
I believe there’s about to be another resurrection
(Verse 3)
Hallelujah it is finished
See the grave no body in it
Dead things coming back to life again
I believe there’s about to be another resurrection
(Chorus)
Come alive, wake up sleeper
He is risen, we are risen with him
Paradise, flung wide open
He is risen, we are risen with him
(Bridge 1)
If you see what I see, that the grave is empty
Then you know what I know: anything is possible
(Bridge 2)
Do you see what I see? I see signs and I see wonders
Do you see what I see? I see lighting I hear thunder
Do you see what I see? Something stirring six feet under
Chris Brown | Jason Ingram | Pat Barrett | Steven Furtick © Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Housefires Sounds (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) My Magnolia Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) CCLI License # 692967
Our physical eyes look at the world around us and see deepening darkness and decay. Though our souls long for a world of lasting beauty and rest, we exist in a perishing reality. But God has given us the gift of faith, which allows us to see beneath the surface to a deeper reality where He is making all things new.
The eyes of faith look at the darkness of our world and say, “Against such a backdrop, look how brightly the Holy Spirit shines through us!” It is more than a blind optimism, as if we should fix our situation by thinking happy thoughts. But the Kingdom of God, which is eternal, is more real than the kingdom of this world, which fades away and falls, and His Kingdom is continually advancing–as are we–from one degree of glory to another.
The song we will sing this Sunday will call us to see that reality through the eyes of faith: “I see signs and I see wonders; I see bursts of living color! Dead things coming back to life again; I believe there’s about to be another resurrection!”
As you prepare your hearts and minds for worship this weekend, it may be a helpful exercise to hang real-life examples on these lyrical hooks. What signs and wonders have you seen? What dead things do you see coming back to life? Prayerfully consider how you will answer the Spirit’s call to “come alive, wake, oh sleeper!” After you have prepared yourself in this way, come to church determined to declare it with your loudest voice.
Your brother,
Ryan