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Exegeting the Hymns #25 - Live it Well

1/8/2018

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Live it Well
w/m Jonathan Mark Foreman, Timothy David Foreman

Take the burden from my arms
Take the anchors off my lungs
Take me broken and make me one
Break the silence and make it a song

Life is short; I wanna live it well
One life, one story to tell
Life is short; I wanna live it well
And you're the one I'm living for
Awaken all my soul
Every breath that you take is a miracle
Life is short; I wanna live it well

I wanna sing with all my heart a lifelong song
Even if some notes come out right and some come out wrong
'Cause I can't take none of that through the door
Yeah, I'm living for more than just a funeral
I wanna burn brighter than the dawn

I got one life and one love
I got one voice, but maybe that's enough
'Cause with one heartbeat and two hands to give
I got one shot and one life to live
One life to live

As we enter the new year, there is always a renewed zeal for serving the Lord among His church. While this is something we should be doing on a daily basis, there are times when we specifically focus on repentance and on the Kingdom work. The Lord’s Supper is an occasion when we do this regularly, but the new year is a time of transition from old to new, so it reminds us to put off the old man and daily put on the new.  

Years ago, John Piper wrote a groundbreaking book that every believer should read, “Don’t waste your life”. I can’t help but think that his book may have inspired the guys in Switchfoot to pen this tune. Take the burden from my arms. Take the anchors off my lungs. The imagery of the runner in the race comes to mind from Hebrews 12:1-3. A runner can’t run until he lays aside every sin and weight that slows us down. We carry around many burdens, burdens that sometimes make us feel as though we are running in sand, burdens that crush us like a 300 lb barbell dropped on our chest. Take me broken and make me one. Break the silence and make it a song. We are all broken, not only in our sinful flesh, but often, in our souls as well. “Take me broken” is a bit of an understatement since, even though we try to pretend otherwise, none of as have it all together. Jesus is the one who can truly speak to our souls and make them whole.

Life is short; I wanna live it well. As the rock band Kansas once opined, “All we are is dust in the wind” and the daytime soap opera would add, “Like the sands of the hour glass, so are the days of our lives”, we can’t help but agree, life is fleeting. C.T. Studd’s poem sums it up well, “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last”. We hear of so many who undertake their Christian life with such passion, only to stumble just before the finish line. As believers, we want to end well. 1 Corinthians 9 says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” One life, one story to tell. Once a word is spoken, a deed one, a life is lived, it can’t be undone. We have only one story to tell. There can be repentance, forgiveness, and restoration, but we should strive to get it right the first time.

And you're the one I'm living for. Awaken all my soul, every breath that you take is a miracle. I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I need to be slapped out of my slumber. Like a driver who dozes off and the rumble strip jolts him back to consciousness, sometimes we need our souls to be shocked back on the right path, awakened to an eternal focus.

I wanna sing with all my heart a lifelong song, even if some notes come out right and some come out wrong. None of us are going to reach the level of sinless perfection here. I have known many who have claimed it, and yet have been able to watch their life and see it is not the case. There are times I reach a level of sanctification where I have no desire to sin anymore, only to find myself in the mire just an hour later. Again, thank God that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us. 'Cause I can't take none of that through the door, yeah, I'm living for more than just a funeral. I wanna burn brighter than the dawn. When they have my memorial service one day, know that my desire is not to have rattled off a list of my accomplishments or my personal qualities. I want people rejoicing that God took a sinner like me, saved me, used me year after year, even though I failed Him in some way on a daily basis. I want to serve Him with every last breath of my existence. I have no interest in retiring to a beach in Mexico, wasting away my final years. Like the writer of the aforementioned poem expressed, "And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, if the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

I got one life and one love. I got one voice, but maybe that's enough. In our own power, no, that is not enough. It is never enough. My one issue with this song is that it never really references the God who takes what we have and makes it usable. Without Him, I can do nothing. With Him, I can do all things He call me to do. 'Cause with one heartbeat and two hands to give, I got one shot and one life to live. As we enter this new year, you may or may not sing this song, but you should be singing a song of praise for another year, and a song of renewed diligence to the one you serve.

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    Author

    Bill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for over 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD.  His family tours and leads worship around the country.  Bill and his family attend Belcroft Bible Church in Bowie, MD.  This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry.

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  • Home
  • Tours
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    • 2003 to Current >
      • Pilgrim's Song >
        • Leaving the City of Destruction
        • The Time Is Short
        • Evangelist
        • It Would Be Me
        • The Wicket Gate
        • Miracle
        • This Is Life
        • Apollyon's Challenge
        • I Will Go (Vanity Fair)
        • Walking with Hopeful
        • Champion of the People (View from the Spyglass)
        • Remember Me (River of Death)
        • Places
        • The Celestial City
      • Sweeter >
        • Christ Is Sweeter
        • With My Last Breath
        • I Have Seen The Lord (Job 42)
        • Oh My Soul
        • Sweet Are All Your Words To Me (Psalm 119)
        • Jesus Is Mine
        • By His Wounds (Isaiah 53)
        • All My Ways Are Known To You
        • O Lord, My Rock And My Redeemer
        • Finish Strong
      • Timeless - Hymns of Bill & Karen Itzel >
        • Give Thanks to the Lord Our God
        • Year's End
        • Sovereign Ruler of the Skies
      • 30 Live >
        • I Am A Christian
        • Mountain Climber
        • How Much More Glory
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Step By Step
        • At The Cross (Love Ran Red)
        • He Is Risen, Hallelujah
        • Jesus Is Enough
        • There is Hope
        • Burn the Ships
        • Last Man Standing
        • This is Your Life
        • Dead Man Walking
        • Jerusalem
      • Gift of Faith >
        • You Amaze Me
        • I Got Saved
        • Gift of Faith
        • May The Peoples Praise You
        • Why Was I A Guest?
        • Lord, We Remember
        • A Mighty Fortress
        • His Love Runs Deep
        • Lord, Save Me From Me
        • Jesus, Thank You
        • Jerusalem
      • Hope >
        • Brethren We Have Met To Worship
        • Firm in the Faith
        • There is Hope (Siri's Song)
        • Lord, I Adore You
        • The Sovereign God of Love
        • The Solid Rock
        • He Will Hold Me Fast
        • Get To Work
        • Our Great God
        • At Calvary
        • I Will Sing of My Redeemer
        • Give Me Jesus
      • The Glorious Trial >
        • He is Risen Hallelujah
        • The Glorious Trial
        • Because You Love Me
        • Power of the Cross
        • How Firm a Foundation
        • Don't Be Afraid
        • Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
        • A Light In The Dark
        • Band of Brothers
        • Grace Greater than our Sin
      • XXV >
        • All Hail The Power
        • How Long?
        • Truth Is The Way
      • Sovereign >
        • Come Thou Fount
        • Almighty
        • In Christ Alone
        • At The Cross
        • All I Have Is Christ
        • Come As You Are
        • Amazing Grace
        • Behold Our God
        • Whom Shall I Fear
        • Sovereign
        • It Is Well
      • The New Life >
        • Burn The Ships
        • Draw The Line
        • Slow Fade
        • Thank You God For Saving Me
        • Miraculum
        • Jekyll & Hyde
        • Blessed Be Your Name
        • Believe
        • It Is Finished
        • The Gift
      • I Am A Christian >
        • When You Forgive
        • Write My Hurts In The Sand
        • I Am A Christian
        • But for the Grace of God Go I
        • My God Is Bigger
        • Investing in Gold
        • Saving My Best for First
        • Roots
        • Don't Water Down The Gospel
        • Defenders of the Faith
      • Live It Up >
        • Power and Might
        • Psalm 100
        • Plastic People
      • Revolutionary War >
        • Revolutionary War
        • Rebelling Against the Weather
        • Chained to a Lie
        • Always Singing
      • UP >
        • Power and Might
        • Step by Step
        • Love The Lord
        • I'd Rather Have Jesus
        • Psalm 100
        • When I Survey
        • You are There
        • Names
        • Let Everything That Hath Breath
        • Weak
      • Throwback >
        • The Hard Way
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Free
        • Sweet Sacrifice
      • Mountain Climber >
        • Mountain Climber
        • Fly Free
        • Cries of the Forgotten
        • Champion of the People
        • Hide Me in Your Hand
        • Look to the One
        • Can You Hear Me Now?
        • Great is Thy Faithfulness
      • Misfit Family Christmas >
        • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
        • Mary Did You Know?
        • Emmanuel
        • Island of Misfit Toys
        • Sharing
        • Love Was Born Christmas Night
      • Last Man Standing - 2008 >
        • Last Man Standing
        • Minute Man
        • Think On These Things
        • Do Hard Things
        • Break The Chain
        • Roll Call of Faith
        • Beautiful Day
        • How Much More Glory
        • Great Expectations
        • You are There
      • Flawed - 2007 >
        • War Fatigue
        • My Burden
        • One of Those Days
        • Save Me From Myself
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • An Inconvenient Truth
        • At World's End
        • I've Got No Problem With That
        • Jesus is Enough
        • Weak
        • Pray
      • Soldiers - 2006 >
        • This is Your Life
        • God is Still God
        • Soldier
        • Stand Up
        • Follow Me
        • Barbarians at the Gate
        • Forgotten
      • Guns Blazin' - 2005 >
        • Guns Blazin'
        • When the Rubber Meets the Road
        • Words of Love
      • It Takes a Family - 2004 >
        • A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot
      • Return of the King - 2003 >
        • Return of the King
    • 1990 to 2002 >
      • Dedicated - 2002 >
        • The Last Days
      • Dead Man Walkin' - 2001 >
        • Dead Man Walkin'
      • Seasons - 2001 >
        • Blessed Be The Name
        • Another Year Is Dawning
      • The Test - 2000 >
        • This is Just a Test
      • 2 Natures >
        • 2 Natures
      • Beware of the Dogs >
        • Beware of the Dogs
        • The War
      • Praise Soup >
        • I Will Praise and Worship
        • It Mattered To This One
      • Play by Play >
        • This is my Son
      • Held For Ransom >
        • Politically Incorrect
      • Christmas
      • The Live Experience >
        • I Believe in You
        • Hero
      • Game Over >
        • How Much More Glory
        • The Lion's Coming Back
      • Family Values >
        • Where the Soul Never Dies
      • Live By The Sword >
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        • Let us Live
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