Except for the Lord

 

I know, right? I skipped D. I am contemplating whether to dedicate the post to Dan or to a recent experience we had. I’ll come back to it. I promise.

There is a song that we sing at church with the line, “Except for the Lord” [Come to the Water, by Matt Maher]. Until today, I have quite grasped the meaning. Today, I pondered, “God, make this clear to me.” So, He did.

Oh let all who thirst, let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing, let them come to the Lord.

Without money, without price

Why should you pay the price, except for the Lord.

 

And let all who seek, let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing, let them come to the Lord.

Without money, without strife

Why should you spend your life, except for the Lord.

 

And let all who toil, let them come to the water.

And let all who are weary, let them come to the Lord. 

All who labor, without rest 

How can your soul find rest, except for the Lord.

 

And let all the poor, let them come to the water.

Bring the ones who are laden, bring them all to the Lord.

Bring the children, without might

Easy the load and light, come to the Lord.

 

Except for the Lord, how can our souls find rest?

How can we come to the water; to the Father; except that the Father draws us?

Why would we give our lives to follow, to trust, to obey the Lord except that the Truth of the Lord has been imprinted upon our very hearts? 

Why would we choose to suffer so that we could bring others to the water, to the Lord? Except that the Lord has transformed us, it makes no sense.

Except; apart; because of; due to. Apart from the Lord, we cannot find rest; relief; freedom; purpose. Because of the Lord, we have rest; relief, freedom, purpose. Due to the Lord, our purpose is to live not for ourselves.