Category: Church

Update: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

The 7th and final song of The Seven Last Words series is “It is finished.” (John 19:30). These were the final words Christ uttered as he died. It is important to note that the word he used is not one that means “That’s it–I’m done” but a word of completion. His work complete, he gave himself to death.

The crux of Christianity (pun intended) is Christ’s work on the cross. Let’s rest entirely on Christ for our salvation and life.

There is nothing we can do
to add to what you’ve done.
The sacrifice, complete–
the fullness of God’s love.

“It is finished!” “It is finished!”
were our Lord’s last words of pain.
“It is finished!” “It is finished!”
will forever be our theme.
In Christ we are redeemed.

Update 10/2/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

This is #6 of The Seven Last Words, in which Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) In the drama of the crucifixion, these words meant, “I’m ready to die.” But there is another layer of meaning, for Jesus and for us: Jesus committed himself–trusted his whole being–to God’s care. That should be our posture, too, both in our living and our dying.

To you, O Lord, I trust my soul.
I trust my soul to you.

My Refuge, with my last breath
I will call to you.
My Savior with my last breath
I will worship you.

Update 10/2/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

“I thirst” is the 5th word from the cross and the 5th song in my series of songs on The Seven Last Words. As I contemplated this short sentence, I was struck by a few things. First, Jesus–though God–still felt all the physical needs of being human, in this case, thirst. But that thirst points out a deeper spiritual question: How can the One who described himself as “Living Water” be thirsty?

I was always taught that having a relationship with Jesus would fill the “God-shaped vacuum” in my soul–my journey would be over and all the longings of my heart would be filled. I’m not so sure about that anymore. In fact, it feels like faith is simply the beginning of a journey on which there will be both thirsting and quenching.

The fact that Jesus felt his thirst in the midst of salvation’s work leads me to believe that it’s okay for me to continue to feel restless even as I have peace; unsatisfied, yet fulfilled.

1. Lord, you are the only well
From which living water flows;
But you were thirsty, too.
You were thirsty, too.

O Jesus when we thirst,
May we thirst in you.

2. We drink and the living streams
Well up within our souls,
Yet we are thirsty, too.
We are thirsty, too.

O Jesus when we thirst,
May we thirst in you.

Update 10/6/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

This Lent, Pastor Nate is preaching a series on the seven last words of Christ. I’ve committed to writing a short song to follow each of the seven sermons. The first is Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” With each of these songs, my goal is not to restate the words of Jesus, but to let people reflect on them. For this passage, I thought that a simple response of confession would be most appropriate.

1. Forgive us. Forgive us
for the sins that we have done
and the ones whom we have harmed.
Oh, forgive us. Forgive us.

2. Forgive us. Forgive us
for the ways we’ve caused you pain
again and again.
Oh, forgive us. Forgive us.

3. Forgive us. Forgive us
for the sins we won’t forgive
and the sins we won’t forget.
Oh, forgive us. Forgive us.