Life as a Christian Woman

A few weeks ago the choir at my church sang a song that is so simple, so straightforward, that it reached deep into my soul. The song, entitled simply “You Are,” written by Mark Roach, is a quiet reflection on exactly who God is.

Roach, the Worship Arts Director at Morning Star Church in O’Fallon, Missouri, tells this story about how this beautiful tribute to our God came to be:

My aunt had this 88-year old baby grand piano that she needed to get out of her house to make room for some furniture—she hadn’t used it in years, and she decided to bless my wife and I with it as a gift! Within the first few days of it sitting in my living room, I sat down and was meditating on the vastness of God… as I attempted to describe God, with both scriptural reference and poetic expression, I was quickly reminded of the simplicity with which He identified Himself to Moses: “I Am.”

Roach also lists several other verses throughout the Bible that inspired him as he wrote this song:

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”  Revelation 22:16

As I sat there that Sunday and listened to the words, I thought of how all-encompassing our God is. Really, we can’t wrap our minds around Him. To do so would limit who He is. He is everything, and more.

When I look at the lyrics to the song, these are some of the words and phrases that are used to describe our Heavenly Father:

• Holy
• Faithful
• Savior
• Friend
• All We Need
• The Answer
• The Reason “Why”
• Movement
• Stillness
• The Lord on High
• The Way
• The Truth
• The Life
• The Word Made Flesh
• The Bright Morning Star
• Glory Hallelujah
• Hope of Peace on Earth
• Alpha
• Omega
• Comfort
• Refuge
• Love
• Kindness
• Compassion
• My God
• My King
• The Words We Sing

The words cover our lives, every corner. But when each verse ends, we are left with the phrase “You Are.”

And He is.

The Worship Pastor at our church asked the choir to choose one word to meditate on prior to singing this song, any word that is used to to describe God. I think perhaps that is something that would be valuable for all of us… to choose one word and meditate. Be still. Think of how God resonates through your life in those terms. How has He shown you ‘compassion’ or ‘comfort,’ how has He been your ‘friend,’ or your ‘king.’

Everything we are, everything we have, everything that has been or will be, is because of Him.

He is.

You Are

words and music by Mark Roach

click HERE to listen to this song on youtube

You are holy, you are faithful.
You are Savior, you are friend.
You are all I’ll ever need, Lord, you are.
You are ev’ry questions’ answer,
You are ev’ry reason why,
You are moving, you are still, Lord, you are.

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are Glory Hallelujah.
You are hope of peace on earth.
You are Alpha and Omega, you are.
You are comfort, you are refuge.
You are love personified.
You are kindness and compassion, you are.

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are my God and my King.
You are the words that I sing.
You are the reason I make this offering.
(Repeat twice)

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are the words that I sing.
You are.
You are my God and my King.
You are.
You are.
You are.