I just dropped our youngest son off at choir practice. He sings in the New West Youth Choir. It is an amazing group and has really helped him in developing more as a musician and vocalist, as well as giving a significant boost to his self-confidence. So far in his first year with them he has performed at the Jack Singer, in the Red and White Club at McMahon Stadium, and several other venues. The practices are on the far side of the city from where we live - so when I drive him here, I drop him off and either do some work or some reading. Tonight I am taking some time to reflect. I've got a mediocre cup of coffee beside me, and there is a piano being played somewhere in the distance.
I just finished responding to a text about a dear friend and musician who is likely in his final year among us. It is heart-breaking. He was on my mind and weighing heavy on my heart while writing "Come and Rescue Me" last year. We were in the midst of the pandemic - before any vaccinations had been released, and it seems that as a global society all we had were questions and anxiety. And in the midst of that, my friend also received his first diagnosis.
I still remember the phone call. It was one of those moments where you remember the smallest details of where you were and what you were doing. During the course of his treatments I had sleepless nights of my own. Worried about health and family, about the future, and thinking how much harder it must be for my friend (as well as several other friends undergoing various treatments at the time) going through sleepless nights of wrestling with worries and fears and unanswered questions.
The song isn't a typical worship song. I'd written it as part of a 12 Song Challenge with Resound Worship (a global, inter-denominational community of songwriters who are wanting to develop in their craft of writing worship songs for their local church). Every month we are issued a challenge, which we write, submit, and then offer (encouraging) feedback on each other's work. Super fun. The challenge can be a theme, or a song style, etc… That month we were writing "hero songs" - songs which were inspired in some way by one of our songwriting heroes. I chose Adam Duritz of Counting Crows as my songwriting muse.
The song starts out:
"Find me in the moonlight.
Meet me in my lonely sleepless nights.
Where dreams are now a distant memory
And my nightmares haunt me.
My worries are surrounding me
Wrapped up so tight
I'm struggling to breathe.
O Jesus, meet me in my misery
Lord of all eternity,
O won't You hear my cry and set me free…"
As I read over the words now, I see similarities to the writing of David in the Psalms. Hiding from Saul, afraid for his life, unsure of what's to come, and crying out for God to come and rescue him from his troubles. Interesting.
I have found great comfort in the words of this song. They have kept me company as I'd sing them over in my mind on sleepless nights. They have become a prayer to me. I hope that perhaps they bring comfort to others as well.