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Rise Again - Needtobreathe

I have been reading a book about the arts and Christians role in creating culture.  Steve Turner, the author, asserts a major critique that modern Christian art does not speak about real life.  The art created does not sound genuine or have any ties to real life that people outside the faith can connect with.  While reading the book I listened through this album and I think that this song does a great job of breaking the mold.  The members of Needtobreathe are all outspoken followers of Jesus but very little of the art that they produce mentions Jesus or Christianity at all.  Instead they craft creative music, written from places of pain and joy.  "Rise Again" steps through pain that occurs in life as we see relationships stretched and torn.  The bitterness of broken hearts and friendships is then contrasted with the truth that we will get up from this pain and rise again.  "I can see us moving on, I can feel that coming on strong", the joy that comes after the pouring rain of pain.  I can give example after example of this being true in my life but I will focus on this song any not myself.

What I love about this song is that it can be enjoyed by everyone, you do not have to be Christian to truly enjoy the hope that is provided in this song!  As a believer I can see the obvious mentions of the "king of the broken" and "I know I'm gonna rising again" pointing to the new heavens and new earth.  But these themes softly point folks who are not followers of Jesus towards the hope that is found in the Truths of Jesus.  Reading this book makes me appreciate artists who craft amazing music with lyrics that points towards Jesus without thrusting Christianity upon its listeners.


I know how it started
the walls that we built to separate us
They get wider and stronger
Till it’s too tall for us to touch
Heaviness is on me and I don't see
that we might be whole again
We might be better off 
in the wake of a bitter end

Oh I know I’m on the rise again
Set my sights on where I’m going
And my goodbyes to where I’ve been
Oh I know I’m gonna rise again
Singin’ farewell king of the broken
so long my friend

We could always count on the same thing
the ups and the downs like time
We crawl through the abyss then
We came through the other side
Heaviness is only temporary
Daylight will soon break in
The sunlight could change your heart 
in the wake of a bitter end

I can see us moving on
I can feel that coming on strong
we’ll never start all over like this
I still can’t believe it


All is Great from Singapura,
Paul Shackelford

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