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washed away

Do you feel the darkness tremble
When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokenness

[from Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble? by delirious]


ok. so, i have to admit, i dismissed this song quite a few years ago. it was overplayed in college and it just got to be a little overdramatic at times. i wrote it off, assuming it was just a phase, and would die off like "the happy song" and "i will not forget you", never to be heard again.

however. we have played it a couple of times in the last few months at church. and while the chorus doesn't do much for me [dancers who dance upon injustice? the hell?], that last verse? i forgot about that last verse. that last verse is hard to get through.

there is something powerful about knowing that christ died for little old me. but there is something far more intense and powerful and sacred in knowing that christ died for all. our brokenness... it is overwhelming and it is grand and it is frightening and it is beautiful. it is constant and we cannot run from it. what is staggering to me is that the river is forever moving and it is always powerful and it leaves nothing behind. all is washed away in its mighty fury. our weaknesses, our fears, our failures, our struggles and our sins... they are swept up and taken away. we are reminded that his mercies are new every morning. this river is patient and kind and keeps no record of wrongs. it is continuous and cleansing and the gates of hell tremble before its power and the power of those caught up in its mercy and strength. the river, this love, our God, never fails.

brokenness is weird. to refuse its presence, we are nothing. but when we acknowledge it, we gain power beyond measure.

Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 12:44PM by Registered Commentermdog | Comments15 Comments

Reader Comments (15)

write.

write that #@!&*$ book.

Apr 10, 2007 at 03:36PM | Unregistered Commenterpaul

okay. but only if you include that as part of the foreword.

now, which book am i writing again? i have options.

Apr 10, 2007 at 04:05PM | Registered Commentermdog

A book of Limmerick's!

Apr 10, 2007 at 04:32PM | Unregistered CommenterKevin

I definitley go to a place of dancing on injustice when I hear it.

Apr 10, 2007 at 08:10PM | Unregistered CommenterAndrew Luis

for the record, serious comments are also welcome...

Apr 11, 2007 at 09:13AM | Registered Commentermdog

testing

Apr 11, 2007 at 11:39AM | Unregistered Commentergwyneth

lookit! it worked!

Apr 11, 2007 at 11:41AM | Unregistered Commentergwyneth

:D

Apr 11, 2007 at 12:15PM | Registered Commentermdog

"brokenness is weird. to refuse its presence, we are nothing. but when we acknowledge it, we gain power beyond measure."

Profound thought but so true. Something about confessing our brokenness that helps us realize our utter need to be swept up in the "river." The power over that brokenness comes individually, but something about sharing it in community makes it all the more amazing!

Thanks M!

Apr 11, 2007 at 01:58PM | Unregistered CommenterJim

"the hell?" now THAT got me laughing out loud. I agree with Paul: write the damn book. how many times do we have to tell you? with a name like maria s____, you might consider adopting a more flourishy pen name, like Anastasia Splendid, or something along those lines. You have an uncanny way of getting us to laugh, drop our guard, and then poke right at our hearts with theological truths.

Apr 11, 2007 at 11:02PM | Unregistered Commenterrachel

lol@ Anastasia Splendid. Sounds like an artificial sweetener made by Disney.

Apr 12, 2007 at 07:14PM | Unregistered Commenterpaul

and at this point i must bring up the fact that instead of "splendor", sometimes in my head i sing "god of all splenda".

okay, most of the time.

so wrong.

Apr 12, 2007 at 11:20PM | Registered Commentermdog

Now ALL of us will be singing "god of all splenda" this Sunday....thanks, mdog. That comment made me laugh out loud.

And I agree with the general consensus: You should write a book.

As far as what you should write....how about a rock opera? ;o)

Apr 13, 2007 at 06:37AM | Unregistered CommenterJennifer

Profound. I really liked this.

But I thought the book was going to involve ninjas?

Apr 13, 2007 at 12:00PM | Unregistered Commentermeegs

meegs: the rock opera could be about ninjas. And be written in Limmericks, rather than say, iambic pentameter or something.

Apr 13, 2007 at 12:25PM | Unregistered CommenterJennifer

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