Tears, Coincidentally

Fast forward again to present day…

My wife and I are reading a book together in the evenings. It’s a about whether you’re a fan or follower of Jesus, and the ramifications thereof.  It started off pretty good, but tends to get repetitious – a lot of dead horses gave up their lives for the beating they took in the writing of the book.  The point that the author is trying to make, is that you have to give yourself to Him; lock, stock and barrel – no Kings-X, no holding back.

So the following morning, I do my usual prep before driving to work. An important part of this is connecting the iPod to the car’s audio system and ensuring that the Christian music playlist is set on random.

Maybe 10 minutes into the drive, Casting Crowns’ “What If I Gave Everything” comes on. I go into sing-along mode and barely make it to the chorus before the tears are rolling.  Please see lyrics below:

All my life I longed to be a hero
My sword raised high, running to the battle
I was going to take giants down
Be a man you would write about
Deep in my chest is the heart of a warrior
So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You
I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end
So why am I still standing here
So afraid what it might cost to follow You
I’d walk by faith if I could get these feet to move
But I don’t want to live that way
I don’t want to look back someday
On a life that never stepped across the line
So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You
You’ve given me a faith that can move a mountain
But I’m still playing in the sand
Building little kingdoms that’ll never stand
I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end
I’m so tired of standing here
What if I gave everything to You
What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You
Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters
What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You
Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters
I want to see some mountains move
Ready to give everything
Say goodbye to standing here

The immediate next song is The Newsboys playing “Live With Abandon.”  It’s a bit more upbeat, but does nothing to stop the flow; please see lyrics below:

Chasing after this world makes me tired
Praisin’ my own name leaves me dry
There’s gotta be so much more to life than this
A higher calling that I missed
I want my life to count, every breath
I wanna live with abandon
Give you all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in your hands
I wanna live with abandon
Give you all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in your hands
I wanna live with abandon
Drop everything and follow you
It’s only your hands I hold onto
There’s gotta be so much more to life than this
A higher calling that I missed
I want my life to count, every breath
I wanna live with abandon
Give you all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in your hands
I wanna live with abandon
Give you all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in your hands
I wanna live with abandon
I’m not looking back
I’m done with that
Wanna give you all I have
I’m not looking back
I’m done with that
Wanna give you all I have
I wanna live with abandon
I wanna live with abondon
Give you all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in your hands
I wanna live with abandon
I wanna live with abandon
Wanna live with abandon

Coincidence? Don’t think so.  Nope, not even a nefarious plot by Kleenex to keep their stock up.

I’m being told something and it seems God has chosen music to reach me (again).