My first guitar was given to me by my daddy when I hurt my knee in college. I was newly in love with modern worship songs about that same time. My passion for learning guitar was fueled by a combination of that new love, and by rebellion against the Pharisaical drills I was forced to endure to be a classically trained musician. (I was a music major in college...and no, I no longer have a French horn)
I wanted the time I spent playing my sweet little guitar to be set apart, not in a legalistic way, but kind of like we set apart Thanksgiving Dinner from other dinners. Special. This was music for the sake of enjoying music, without the burden of drills, or proper form. With the exception of the occasional John Denver or James Taylor song, I devoted my roughly learned chording and awkward strumming to worship songs. Super shy me, even played "Babe" (my blue guitar) in leading worship for my tiny campus Inter Varsity group.
Fast forward (cough, cough) 20 years. I'm newly single and recovering from the covenant tearing that happened to my marriage. As my heart learns once again to sing, I find Babe's replacement among my remaining belongings. Through the magic of Facebook and the orchestration of the Body of Christ, I stumble upon a teacher who encourages creativity. ...okay, he also encourages good form (to a point), and makes me use a pick; but somehow he beautifully avoids the Pharisaical teaching style and leaves me free to listen to the Spirit and create.
In an email to a few friends, I excitedly wrote "...a song really came out of me. ...a real song! (a new song)" It's possible I am more excited about this than Geppetto was at finding out his puppet had become a real boy.
Set Apart
Set Apart
Tear down ...the walls of my heart
Tear down ...the walls of my heart
You are the Cornerstone
(The) only firm foundation
Ho-ly
Ho-o-o-ly
Ho-o-ly
Cast out... this fear and doubt
Cast out... this fear and doubt
Your Love is a mighty sword,
Per-fect, protecting, and
Ho-ly
Ho-o-o-ly
Ho-o-ly
Erase... the stain of my shame
Erase... the stain of my shame
You are my righteousness
(There's) No condemnation
Ho-ly
Ho-o-o-ly
Ho-o-ly
Lord, cleanse...my soul from within
No ... more iDols or sin
Set your seal upon my heart
Let this Bride be set apart, and
Ho-ly
Ho-o-o-ly
Ho-o-ly
Ho-o-ly, Ho-o-ly, Ho-o-ly!
I love how the word holy means literally "set apart". I think of holy as being reverenced, special, honored, consecrated, peculiar, righteous...sacred. Holy is what we won't ever get tired of singing after a thousand years before Christ's throne in worship. That excites me, and makes me willing to let the Holy Spirit work in my heart to expose things unlovely in order to exchange them for things holy.
note: When I put "no more" idols and sin in the last verse, I do so cautiously hoping that you might not infer that the battle against sin and idolatry is over at the point of salvation. Jesus washed us clean once, and for all time. But, part of the mystery is that the cleansing and the struggle are together and continual...much like the cat pan (ugh), the laundry, and my kitchen floor.
The struggle is worth it. I know that to be truth. Keeping it real? I confess, I hate and avoid the act of cleaning (cat pans, floors...and my heart - laundry isn't so bad though) even when I realize that 'clean' is so much less burdensome. It makes me wonder when I will value restoration above the perceived effort it takes. And yet, I don't wonder. This song has been forming and changing my heart for at least 6 weeks as I practice the gnarly chord progression my teacher encouraged me to use. I hope it continues to go deeper into my heart.
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