"Dad?! Are you listening to me?!"
The frustration in my son's voice got my attention. I had been making breakfast, thinking about my day, and listening to my favorite morning sports show with one earbud. Admittedly, I wasn't paying attention to my kids, and my son discovered this when he tried to talk with me about something that had happened the previous day.
"I'm sorry, bud. I wasn't paying attention. Can you tell me that again?" I pulled out my earbud and gave him my attention. He did give me an eye roll, but he started from the top and allowed me to give him the input he needed.
As I returned to making my breakfast burrito, I beat myself up for being so caught up in my world that I wasn't available for my son. If I want him to come to me for input on how he makes decisions and views the world, I need to give him my attention, not my distraction.
I thought of that conversation when I discovered JWLKRS Worship's new song, "Here I Am." Featuring American Idol phenom Ashley Hess, the song speaks to a humble devotion to God that gives Him our attention.
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The song opens by acknowledging that the noise of this world distracts us from God. Echoing David's words in Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God," the lyrics describe a shift in attention.
"Still, help me be still
Help me turn down the noise
And tune in Your will
Peace, You are my peace."
In a world of chaos and noise, there's an awareness that God's peace is possible when we give Him our attention. Isaiah 26:3 affirms this truth about our relationship with God. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!"
As the song moves to the chorus, JWLKRS and Ashley Hess describe a decision to give God full focus. The chorus reminded me of the prophet's words in Isaiah 6:8 when he responds to God's question of who will go to share His message with His people. Isaiah answered, "Here I am, send me." Similarly, the chorus articulates a spirit of surrender.
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"Here I am, here I am
God, You have my attention
You're all that I want."
However, the song is honest about the reality that sometimes saying "Here I Am" to God can take us places we never planned to be. In the second verse, we hear this acknowledgment of loss and the absence of joy.
"Oh, in joy, fill me with joy
Restore what was lost
A hundredfold, God."
The disciples knew this experience of loss and absence of joy. In Mark 10, Peter was honest with Jesus. "We've given up everything to follow you," he said. "Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life."
Later, the song moves into the bridge with JWLKRS and Hess articulating a realization that every follower of Jesus needs to have.
"Oh, there's nothing that could separate me from You
Or ever change the way You feel, oh, it's so real to me."
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These lyrics reiterate the crescendo of Romans 8 (my favorite chapter in the Bible). Paul states, "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?... And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love."
"Here I Am" contains Scripture-laced reminders that we often forget. The band described this song in a video posted on their YouTube channel as embodying the purpose of this new album.
"The reason we recorded this music is because we want to change people's lives - their perspective - from the inside out. We hope that it really impacts people in their cars on the way to work. Wherever they are every single day, that it's just a reminder and encouragement to them of who God is and who He wants them to be."
For this distracted dad and often anxious follower of Jesus, I can certainly say that "Here I Am" achieved that purpose for me. God is worthy of our attention. When we give Him our attention and surrender our lives to Him, He does not promise that we will experience the absence of adversity. He does, however, promise us the presence of His peace - something we desperately need.
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project,The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
