20Schemes Music: All Praise To Him

(from www.20schemesequip.com)

This is one of eight tracks on a live album coming out soon on iTunes, which was recorded at the most recent 20schemes Weekender (4th–6th October 2019). The subject of the Weekender was: ‘Abuse, The Gospel, & The Local Church’.

This song—written by Bob Kauflin and Matt Merker—is based on a hymn by Horatius Bonar (1808-1889), a Scottish minister and hymn writer. I picked this song because it addresses the theme of God’s might, which is made manifest in His love for those who are in Christ. 

In many cases of abuse, the victim typically has a vulnerability which is exploited by the perpetrator—someone who’s either trusted by the victim or holds some form of power over them. This sad and twisted misuse of authority can make the very idea of God—the One who has all authority—a terrifying concept for the most vulnerable people in our schemes. Is God just another tyrant for me to fear? 

Whilst this song declares God to be the Holy, Almighty, and only true Creator—who sustains all things with absolute authority and who ‘guides the galaxies above’—it also expresses that God willingly bends to hear His peoples’ every prayer, with ‘sovereign power and tender care’. Particularly for victims of abuse, who’ve only ever known their abusers’ power linked with tyranny, this song speaks of God’s power linked with tender care.

The truths in this song are good news for the abused and also the abuser, for all sinners lost in bondage to their ‘sorrow, sin, and shame’. There is freedom for all through repentance and faith in Jesus, who ‘lived to die and died to rise, the all-sufficient sacrifice’. Verse 3 is good news for all believers—God will sustain us and equip us to persevere in the Christian life. His strength becomes our strength through Christ living in us. All praise to Him!

I’m excited to share this video with you all. You just can’t beat the sound of God’s people singing together. Please consider buying the album when it comes out very soon on iTunes. Every purchase will enable us to keep doing these music projects, proclaiming the name of Jesus and seeking to encourage God’s people in the schemes of Scotland.

I’d also encourage you to please consider donating to 20schemes music, particularly if any of the songs we’ve done have blessed you. Please also follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) for announcements about when ‘Live At The Weekender’—and future projects—become available.

Order Mez McConnell’s book on abuse here.