Our old church had a hall, which would have had to have been built in the 70’s. It had wooden floors and an old style wooden stage with an unmistakable wooden smell. It’s the hall my wife’s parents generously hosted our wedding reception in. The look of it gave out a charm difficult to put into words.

Our church’s worship practice sessions would begin at 3pm and lead up until the 5pm service started. Led by Pastor Beel, with his acoustic guitar, a list of original tunes and a bunch of young musicians, brought together not just by talent, but by a love for God and an affection for music.

It’s with this in mind that I took to layering the song to the hilt. The sound is part reminiscence, part tribute to the Jesus Music of the ‘70’s. An era that church hall has always reminded me of.

My aim was to create an “atmospheric” jam: try to imagine a bunch of musicians rocking up at an old Church hall; all slowly finding their spot, and then settling in to jam out a “Jesus Music” tune.

The atmosphere would be electric; the whole scene powered by joy and the eclectic.

The title comes from the Rev. Charles Spurgeon.

It’s located in his small book, ‘Flowers From a Puritan’s Garden.’ I’m slowly moving my way through it and this week’s read was about prayer and perseverance.

To me, the music reflected the lyrics, which wasn’t planned. So, I figured that I’d include part of the text that grabbed me in the video and post the text in its entirety here:

 “God’s seasons are not at your beck. If the first stroke of the flint doth not bring forth the fire, you must strike again.”

That is to say, God will hear prayer, but he may not answer it at the time which we in our own minds have appointed; he will reveal himself to our seeking hearts, but not just when and where we have settled in our own expectations.

Hence the need of perseverance and importunity in supplication. In the days of flint and steel and brimstone matches we had to strike and strike again, dozens of times, before we could get a spark to live in the tinder; and we were thankful enough if we succeeded at last. Shall we not be as persevering and hopeful as to heavenly things?

We have more certainty of success in this business than we had with our flint and steel, for we have God’s promise at our back.

Never let us despair. God’s time for mercy will come; yea, it has come, if our time for believing his arrived.

Ask in faith, nothing wavering; but never cease from petitioning because the king delays to reply. Strike the steel again. Make the sparks fly and have your tinder ready: you will get a light before long.^[1]

The things I’m particularly happy with, is how the title fits the music; being able to draw a connection between the song and Spurgeon tops the “too cool” list.  Next would be the bass riff, the piano and the wah.

Jesus music lives.

*Side note: this is the first song I’ve added piano. It also happens to be the first time I’ve ever played piano on a track.

Music and images are mine. (RL2016)

Source:

^[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1883). Flowers from a Puritan’s garden, distilled and dispensed (pp. 181–182). New York: Funk & Wagnalls.