Our God Wants a Home
Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED substack article, the only substack newsletter that thinks it will be easy to identify this generation in the afterlife. They are the ones who will keep glancing at their vacant hand, looking for a smart phone that isn’t there.
Last Thursday, I sent you my article entitled “The Excuse Hall of Fame.”
Unfortunately, the font was smaller than usual for many of you. But you can read it clearly on the site HERE. It’s an important one.
On Monday morning, I returned from Mississippi. I spoke four times at a conference that a local assembly graciously hosted there.
Conference title: TRANSFORMED: The Word of God Reimagined
The messages I delivered were entitled:
Session 1. Changed Into His Likeness: How We Are Transformed
Session 2. Until Christ is Formed in You: Grace in Galatia
Session 3. Becoming What You Already Are: Conflict in Corinth
Session 4. Encountering the Risen Christ: Then and Now
The messages are a supplement, not a repeat, of the new book.
The Lord was gracious to us. So I appreciate those of you who regularly pray for me.
Message 4 will uploaded to the CHRIST IS ALL podcast in early September when we resume the show (God willing).
(You can freely subscribe to the podcast on any app if you haven’t already.)
Now for today’s feature.
Brian Wilson (of Beach Boys fame) was a musical genius.
His recent passing reminded me of one of his landmark songs that a group of young Christians re-wrote decades ago.
They wrote new lyrics to Sloop John B to describe God’s eternal desire for a home within His people.
Sloop John B is actually a centuries-old Bahamian folk song. Wilson modified it and gave it the classic Beach Boys sound.
The tune is difficult to remove from your head once you hear it.
Several years ago, I made revisions to the rewritten lyrics created by that young Christian fellowship, adjusting the words to better fit the song's tune and thematic content.
The lyrics give voice to the message of my book From Eternity to Here, Part 2.
You can listen to Our God Wants a Home – just press the title to hear it.
Here are the lyrics.
OUR GOD WANTS A HOME
(Tune: Sloop John B)
Brothers
I’m Abraham of Chaldee
My God He said to me
Pack up, head out far and you will roam
Travelin’ all night
It’s far out of sight
Well, I feel so lonely
I’m in the unknown
All: Chorus
So pick up the promise (sisters)
Pick up the promise (brothers)
Look for the city (sisters)
Look for the city (brothers)
Whose foundation and builder is our God
Our God wants a home
In the land of His own
Well, He feels so lonely
He wants a real home
Sisters
I’m Sarah I believe
God will make me conceive
For He is faithful in what He promised to me
The Lord will go on
And set up His throne
Well, to have a building
In the place of His own
All: Chorus
So pick up the promise (sisters)
Pick up the promise (brothers)
Look for the city (sisters)
Look for the city (brothers)
Whose foundation and builder is our God
Our God wants a home
So let’s go make him a home
Well, He feels so lonely
He wants a true home
All
The Lord God He brought us here
His Spirit has drawn us near
He is ours for life and we are His own
A true living stone
Very bone of His bone
We are His body
He now has a home
All: Chorus
So pick up the promise (sisters)
Pick up the promise (brothers)
Look for the city (sisters)
Look for the city (brothers)
Whose foundation and builder is our God
Our God wants a home
So let’s now make him a home
This is the best trip. We’ve ever been on
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It’s great fun to sing this song with a group of Christians. Especially those who are standing for God’s house in their city.
For more songs like this – original and re-written – go to the Songs for the Kingdom page.