Sometimes when I ask my mum whether a jumper she’s wearing is new, she’ll reply, “New to me.” Translation: I got it in a charity shop.
In the same way, this song is new… to us! We sang it for the first time on Sunday and people seemed to really like it! But it’s taken us a while to get round to singing it! (We’ve been saving it for a special ocassion!) I think it’s been sung at almost every Christian conference I’ve been to for the last 3 or 4 years. And when I’ve visited other churches too!
The reason? The words are excellent and the tune is an instant classic. Sing it once, and you feel like you’ve known the song forever. Getty and Townend are great at that. Their songs like In Christ Alone and O Church Arise sound like they’ve been sung for centuries even though they are still fresh today.
By Faith is a great song for our Hebrews series, especially for yesterday looking at Hebrews 11, as it calls us to be believers today. To put our faith in the One who was promised in the Old Testament and then appeared, making trustworthy promises for the future. Why not read Hebrews 11 here and think about the lyrics below? Then check out the video, to learn it if you weren’t around on Sunday, or to fill in the gaps for what you’ve been whistling all day if you were there!
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By faith we see the hand of God
in the light of creation’s grand design,
in the lives of those who prove His faithfulness,
who walk by faith and not by sight.
By faith our fathers roamed the earth,
with the power of His promise in their hearts,
of a holy city built by God’s own hand;
a place where peace and justice reign.
We will stand as children of the promise.
We will fix our eyes on Him our soul’s reward.
‘Til the race is finished and the work is done,
we’ll walk by faith and not by sight.
By faith the prophets saw a day
when the longed-for Messiah would appear
with the power to break the chains of sin and death
and rise triumphant from the grave.
By faith the church was called to go
in the power of the Spirit to the lost.
To deliver captives and to preach good news
in every corner of the earth.
We will stand…
By faith this mountain shall be moved
and the power of the gospel shall prevail.
For we know in Christ all things are possible
for all who call upon His name.
We will stand…