Testify

Best for last! I don't really have words for this song. Testify is my favorite song of all time. Every time I listen to it, it gives me a sense of peace that I can't explain. The only thing I can relate it to is when I went to Assisi. It’s so peaceful that you don't want it to end. You just want to get lost inside. I've liked this song since I first heard it, but at first, I just thought it was about a man loving his wife as much as he could. But in thinking that, there was a line that didn't make any sense to me: “I will give myself to you as soon as you start to let go.” This didn't make any sense to me because it seems to be contradictory to love. Loving means giving your all to the person being loved and not asking for anything back. Love is a total self-gift. Love is willing the Good of someone. But this line didn’t seem to say that at all. I thought for weeks trying to finger out how this could work, or want it meant. Then one day, I was in the chapel praying after a long day. I was listing to this song and it suddenly became so clear. This song is God singing to you. It's from Gods perspective! When I noticed this, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So now let's break it down.

“Give me your heart, give me your son. Sing it with all your might. Come to the fountain and you can be satisfied. There is a peace, there is a love. You can get lost inside. Come to the fountain and let me hear you testify.”

 Now I am not sure how the artist of this song wanted it to be, but it’s hard to imagine this not being from Gods eyes. “Give me your heart.” God wants our hearts, our Love, he does not demand them. We have free will to love or not to love. God does not demand them, but he does ask for them. God wants you. God longs for your heart to be aligned with his. “Give me your song. Sing it with all your might.” Give God your everything, give Him what makes you happy, give Him your praise. Be authentic in giving it to him. Now look at the word, “might.” Might is defined as great and impressive power or strength, especially of a nation, large organization, or natural force. Give God your everything, and use everything you have to give it. Sing it with all your might, all your being, all your power. “Come to the fountain and you can be satisfied.” This can a metaphor for lots of things. In the bible, Jesus talks about giving the living water. If you drink of it, you'll never thirst again, or in other words, you will be satisfied. This could also be talking about baptism. Baptism is how we become God’s children. Baptism is just one of the ways we see how much God loves us. “There is a peace, there is a love. You can get lost inside.” This made me think instantly of Assisi. There is a peace there that you want to get lost inside. You can just feel God’s presence there. However, it’s not the place itself that makes it so peaceful, it’s God's love. So really, the place to get lost inside is God's love. 

“Into the wild, canyons of youth. Oh, there's the world to fall into. Weightless we'll dance, like kids on the moon. Oh, I will give myself to you, as soon as you start to let go.” 

I'm not entirely sure what the first part of this means. Maybe they are just talking about worldly temptations. There's the world to fall into, but we won't fall because if you don't have anything holding you down then you can't. “Weightless we’ll dance.” Once you give it all to God, nothing can stop you, all you can do is be joyful. Once you accept God and start loving Him, then you'll realize how much he has given to you. “Wave after wave, as deep calls to deep, I'll reveal my mystery, as soon as you start to let go.” It gets nearer the deeper you go, it feels like you can't breathe. What we have to do is start to let go. All you have to do is ask the Lord to come into your heart and He will. He will reveal all of His love to you. 

“Mist on the mountain rising from the ground. There's no denying beauty makes a sound. We can't escape it, there's no way to doubt. Mist on the mountain rising all around.”

I think this is talking about the things become more clear the more you keep going. The mist from the mountain is rising from the ground. When you are truly joyful and happy, it is beautiful. People are going to notice that. True beauty makes a sound because everyone can see you are becoming who God is calling you to be, and there is nothing more attractive than holiness. 

"Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed. Each of us is loved. Each of us is necessary." 

― Pope Benedict XVI

Just my thoughts 

Go with God

Duncan.