"I AM THEY's "Scars""

“Get off my lawn” guy rears his head in me periodically. I have the ability to be opinionated. No comments, no “amen, bro” swipes needed, y’all. This is not a confessional-Facebook moment, as much as a set up to a musical, worship point.

Have you heard the new I AM THEY “Trial & Triumph” album? The GOML guy in me would, in years past, pass by that cd on the rack because “why do I, a middle-aged man, need to listen to a bunch of skinny-jean wearing, hipster-haircut, 20-somethings who haven’t lived enough life yet to know how to write a song that reaches me?!”

Thank you, Jesus, for Todd Wright, Bethel Bible Church, a place to serve, a wife, Sarah Burnett Devendorf, who pushes me to use my gifts for the Body even when family life is hectic...and on and on.

Last week was my rotational turn to be the acoustic guitar player at Bethel with Todd and the band. We played I AM THEY’s tune “To the One” and it rocked! Being intrigued, I downloaded the whole album...and WOW!! Please step all over my grass in your skinny jeans!

There are some real winner-tunes beyond “To the One”, but the one that necessitated this post is “Scars”. Maybe the hipster 20-somethings only known a portion of what they write and sing about, but it was exactly what I needed lately.

“...Darkest water and deepest pain, I wouldn’t trade it for anything,
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to you and these wounds are a story You’ll use...

So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars...

I can see, I can see how you delivered me
In your hands, in your feet I found my victory...

I’m thankful for YOUR scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And with my life I’ll tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful...”

We, my wife and children and I, have enough life-scar-storyboard to heartfeltedly sing this tune at the top of our lungs.

I’m gonna go mow my lawn and make a little room in the proverbial front yard.