Sunday, June 2, 2013

Whatever (again)

Steve Curtis Chapman's song 'Whatever' has been thumping around in my head and I looked back at the blog entry about it in 2010 (here), and thought I might post it, slightly altered, again.
Someone said the other day; "Have X and Y lost the plot? They were talking to me as if Ben died last week!"

"He did" I replied, surprised that not everyone felt the same: today, yesterday, last week. Forever.
And while the years keep rolling on, Ben the living still speaks. Ben the man of 23 who was nobody's puppet, nobody's fool and nobody's property, screams out to be remembered.
And as he nags at me to remember him, as he was, I am  drawn once again, to a song on a CD called 'Speechless'  by Steven Curtis Chapman. The song is 'Whatever'.
If you want to know how the real Ben lived out his last few years of life and the strength of his belief, as he got sicker and sicker, I think the words and the style of this song says it. The lyrics are below and you can hear and see it on YouTube here.
"Whatever" by Steve Curtis Chapman

I made a list, wrote down from A to Z
All the ways I thought that You could best use me
Told all my strengths and my abilities
I formed a plan it seemed to make good sense
I laid it out for You so sure You'd be convinced
I made my case, presented my defense
But then I read the letter that You sent me
It said that all You really want from me is just

Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

So strike a match, set fire to the list
Of all my good intentions, all my preconceived ideas
I want to do Your will no matter what it is
Give me faith to follow where You lead me
Oh, Lord, give me the courage and the strength to do ...

I am not my own
I am Yours and Yours alone
You have bought me with Your blood
Lord, to You and You alone do I belong
And so whatever

We have asked for permission to publish these lyrics on this page.