It’s time for the #SundaySong!  We will continue our trek through Centered, Doxa‘s debut album (available for preorder on iTunes and Amazon) with “Our Treasure Is Christ.”

Lyrics
There are 4 verses of this modern-day hymn, and again, the structural/theological concepts in each stanza help with memorization.  The first verse is a call to worship God for His great character and works.  Verse two celebrates the humility of Christ in His incarnation.  In verse three, we declare the purpose of the priesthood of believers.  The final verse welcomes the return of Christ.   Between each verse is a repeated refrain that echoes the text of Psalm 16:11:  “At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  And the chorus is the welcome and necessary reminder that Jesus alone is to be our chief satisfaction, joy, and delight.

Music
“Our Treasure Is Christ” has a simple and hymnic melody–great for memorization, just like “You Alone Are God.”  The harmonies and background music both incorporate elements of gospel and jazz.  It’s mid-tempo, but has a moveable pulse.

In our gatherings
Because of its hymnic form, this song can be joyful to sing for people who are “musically challenged” (see my last post). We typically use this at the start of our corporate gatherings as a call to worship to direct our thoughts heavenward–the distractions are many from the car to the building where the church gathers!

How it speaks to me
My favorite verse of the song is the final one, which mentions Christ’s return and our freedom from both the presence and the power of sin.  It’s so easy to get “lost in the sauce” of life:  family responsibilities, errands, leadership, discipleship, miscommunication, physical challenges…I could go on.  I don’t know about you, but I need to remember that Jesus’ return is sure and imminent!  I need the hope of being with Jesus in eternity to anchor me while I live in the hustle and bustle of the here-and-now.  That’s the “woooo-saaaaah” that my soul needs!

How it can speak to you
Here are a few questions to reflect on as you listen to “Our Treasure Is Christ” today:

1. We all fight idolatry in our hearts.  If you are honest with God and yourself, in what things are you seeking your soul’s deepest satisfaction, joy, and delight? (examples:  your spouse/future hope for a spouse, stability/comfort, food, physical fitness/appearance, social status, family relationships, etc.)
   
2. Are you gathering regularly with a local church body to worship God?  Why or why not?  Are you doing it out of duty or out of delight?
3. I asked this in my last #SundaySong post:  Are you living each day with a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) in Jesus’ return?  Also, what does the surety of Jesus’ second coming awaken in you:  hope and comfort and rest?  Or fear and doubt and worry?

By God’s grace, Centered was released on Friday 1/30/2015. We can’t wait for you to hear it!  Leave a comment below and let me know what you think about the album or about today’s #SundaySong, how God is using it in your life, etc.