After months of planning and recording, Come Weary Saints, the latest project from Sovereign Grace has been released.
At the Sovereign Grace Music site we say that “Come Weary Saints is an invitation to redirect your focus to the God whose love has been forever demonstrated at the cross of Calvary.” The CD contains twelve songs, mostly written with a congregation in mind, that reference our trials and suffering in a genuine but redemptive way.
In his book, The Wages of Spin, Carl Trueman wrote an article called “What Can Miserable Christians Sing?” He warns:
“A diet of unremittingly jolly choruses and hymns inevitably creates an unrealistic horizon of expectation which sees the normative Christian life as one long triumphalist street party — a theologically incorrect and a pastorally disastrous scenario in a world of broken individuals. Has an unconscious belief that Christianity is — or at least should be — all about health, wealth, and happiness silently corrupted the content of our worship?”
While God doesn’t call us to corporately wallow in our sin, weakness, and suffering, I often wonder if Christians can view any acknowledgment of struggles when we’re together as inappropriate or awkward. We’ve produced this project as part of an attempt to fill that gap. But you won’t find a lot of slow and dreary songs here. In fact, the further you get into the project the more exuberant and faith-filled the songs become. We’ve tried to highlight the faithfulness of God in the midst of trials, present or yet to come. Here are some sample lyrics:
In Your grace, You know where I walk
You know when I fall, You know all my ways
In Your love, I know You allow
What I cannot grasp to bring You praise
Thank You for the trials, for the fire, for the pain
Thank You for the strength, knowing You have ordained
Every day
(by Todd Twining and Joel Sczebel)
Come, hopeless hearts, do not despair
Hide away in the love of Jesus
For ten thousand joys await you there
Hide away in the love of Jesus
(Steve and Vikki Cook)
It is not death to close the eyes long dimmed by tears
And wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered from our fears
Oh Jesus, conquering the grave
Your precious blood has power to save
Those who trust in You will in Your mercy find
That it is not death to die
(Orig. words by Henri Malan, addl. words by Bob Kauflin)
The initial response to Come Weary Saints has been encouraging. One woman ordered twelve copies to pass out among women whose husbands have been serving in the military overseas. Another individual wrote:
Walking alongside my sister during her struggle with cancer has taught me wonderful truths about God’s sovereignty and grace. This newest CD that you have produced has been an incredibly kind gift that reminds me of truth about God. Every song is encouraging, uplifting and comforting.
We pray that God in his mercy would use these songs in public worship or personal listening to encourage and strengthen those for whom the Savior died.
You can listen to samples, find sheet music, and purchase a CD or download at the Sovereign Grace Music website. The CD is $12 ($10 for 5 or more) and a download is $9. You can also download a free song, I Have a Shelter, here.
You can check out a review of Come Weary Saints at Skeuos.
