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Day 5: Graves Into Gardens -Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, and Tiffany Hammer

A Different Kind of Background

When we first sang Graves into Gardens at my church (Abundant Life Fellowship in Boonville, NY) there was some opposition to it.  At the time, there were elements in Conservative Christian media that were trying to "cancel" Steven Furtick, mega-church pastor and co-author of this song.  It seemed at the time that there was a very critical community that scoured the internet for something to be against and they latched onto being against Furtick and anything he was connected to.  You can tell pretty easily that I disagree with that approach.  However, it is alway possible that a mega-church pastor is a wolf in sheep's clothing so I do understand the urge to be skeptical and to "test all things and hold onto that which is true."  

I think the deeper problem for me is that I used to be extremely critical in the same way.  When I was in college, before cancelling was the cultural go-to phenomenon that is today, I would basically cancel preachers and worship leaders with whom I disagreed.  I think that I have grown in wisdom since then and I can take in perspectives that I disagree with to find what common ground might still exist.  I ask myself if there are nuggets of truth I can glean from this teaching, this song, this life that will draw me closer to the Truth.  I think that cancelling others usually shows that the canceller thinks they have everything figured out and are the arbiter of 100% Truth.  I would rather listen to many perspectives, not cancel any, but only "hold onto that which is true."  

That being said, I have come to the conclusion that this is a very worth-while worship song.  For me it captures the heartbeat of the book of Ecclesiastes (one of my favorites).  Searching the world for what could fill the hole in your heart only to find that it is never enough like "chasing after the wind."  I am currently neck-deep in a long-term sermon series if you are interested in my notes:

Ecclesiastes: The Meaning of Life [Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6]

Lyrics

I searched the world
But it couldn't fill me
Man's empty praise
And treasures that fade
Are never enough

Then You came along
And put me back together
And every desire
Is now satisfied
Here in Your love (Hey)

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You
(Oh, yes I know it's true)

I'm not afraid
To show You my weakness
My failures and flaws
Lord, You've seen 'em all
And You still call me friend

'Cause the God of the mountain
Is the God of the valley
There's not a place
Your mercy and grace
Won't find me again

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You
(I know it's true)

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can

You turn graves into garden
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You

Oh, there's nothing better than You
There's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can
You're the only one who can

Abundant Life Fellowship Version


Elevation Worship Original


Final Thoughts

There are always going to be people inside and outside the church that are critical.  I am also glad to see that the site The Berean Test has softened their review of this song based on input from the comments section.  Try to have a healthy bucket of Grace for these people and show your bucket of Grace off in the comment section below.  What would you say to a person that hates this song and thinks that it promotes something sinful?

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Comments

  1. Lydia HuntressJuly 22, 2022 at 4:57 AM

    Well, before our conversation about it just now, I had heard the name Steven Furtick…but that is literally all. I wouldn’t have been able to come up with his name on my own even. So without any background, both singing and here re-reading the lyrics of this song, they 100% are based in scripture and glorify the power and beauty of the Lord, and cause me to recall the different miracles and stories from the Bible that are referenced. Over and over again in scripture we are told to remember what the Lord has done for us, because we forget so terribly quickly. It is important to remember what He has accomplished in our lives personally; it is equally important to remember what He has done in the lives of other people, and the lives recorded in scripture. What an incredible and beautiful thing that we are part of such a lineage!

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    1. Just a Guy with a Bucket Full of GraceJuly 22, 2022 at 8:09 AM

      Hey, I finally figured out how to reply to comments. It turns out that Chrome needed to be updated. Thank you so much for commenting. I enjoyed our conversation this morning and totally agree.

      Delete

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