Joel Heng Hartse, in a Christianity Today article says about the classic dcTalk album Jesus Freak, “Its production is exquisite and warm, and its songs both catchy and weighty. I listen to the album now and remember the way I loved it when I was 15, with a religious fervor. How fitting, then, that Jesus Freak opened my eyes to so many things about my faith: its dangerousness and complexity, its beauty, truth, and fragility.”

I’m wondering what album or song came close to opening my eyes to my faith’s “complexity, dangerousness, beauty, truth, fragility.” What song sent me onto a search for answers or solutions? It has been said that The Weatherford Quartet’s album In The Garden is the finest Gospel album ever recorded. The precision, startling harmonies and intricate chords captured us. I played specific phrases over and over as I tried to duplicate the sound of groups like The Imperials, Sons of Song, Statesmen and a dozen others. But open my eyes to my faith’s dangers, complexities, beauty, truth, fragility? I wasn’t looking for a mind stimulant. I never came away from a concert or hours with headphones mainlining music directly to my soul to say, “I’ve never thought of that before.” Some songs have a way of hanging around your heart.

Babbie Mason’s phrase “When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart” raised questions and internal discussion. I was not enamored by the melody or interesting chord progression. The music felt a bit awkward at times, but that line fueled something in my mind.

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart

To trust God’s heart demands that we know Him—His character, His desire for us, His vision of our destiny. It depends on us believing—at least to have an inclination to risk believing—that He cherishes us, sees value in us. Our self-esteem comes from what we feel about ourselves which is constantly changing. Our worth is God’s evaluation and His gift. He can’t be talked out of that. The Bible reveals God’s heart; the Holy Spirit reveals God’s feelings to us as an individual.
Trust His Heart

© 2015 D. Dean Benton
http://www.bentonministries.com