Resting in God (Song Story “Come to Me”)

I wrote the song “Come to Me” 7 or so years ago when I was working as a Youth Pastor.  I remember it was spring, which was a particularly busy time for me then.  In addition to my usual duties (preaching at youth group, leading worship, running youth events, bible studies, meeting with students, etc.) I had been asked to preach a couple of Sunday mornings and had an almost steady stream of all-nighters, quiz meets, and retreats. If I recall, there was also a lot of conflict in the church at that time, and while it didn’t affect me directly, it weighed heavy on my mind.

On top of all of this, my Ruth was pregnant with our son, Isaac, and was incapacitated with nausea (she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum with both pregnancies), meaning I had to take care of all the cooking, cleaning, laundry etc, and look after little Hannah, who was 2 at the time. All that to say, things were terribly busy and I was spent.

I remember walking to the church one warm spring evening to prepare for yet another event.  There was still a month to go with a big youth trip and a windup event to get through before summer holidays could begin and I could finally put my feet up and recharge.  The finish line was in sight, but it was still a long way off.  I remember crying out to God and saying, “I’m finished!  I don’t have what it’s going to take to get through the next month.  Help me, Lord!”.  I remember walking through the pathway that leads to the park next to the church, which I used to cut through on my way to work, and as I turned the corner, I saw the most gorgeous sunset glowing through the trees.  It warmed my face, and I remember instantly feeling a sense of relief, almost like I was being carried.  A scripture verse I’d read earlier that day immediately came to mind,

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31 NIV)

And half a step behind the verse came the beginnings of a song. It wasn’t long after that that the rest of the song materialized.

A few months later, I taught the song to some of the musicians at my church, and we used the song a few times as a call to worship. I was shy to tell anyone I wrote it, and I think it might have been years later, after Broomtree was recorded before my wife realized I’d written it.

The song has sort of fallen out of rotation with me over the past few years as new songs have moved in to take it’s space, but it came to me again and I found myself singing it one morning last week. It’s funny how songs can take on a different meaning in new circumstances.

This spring was been a stark contrast to my frenzied days as a youth pastor. I’ve only had a few shows each month since Christmas, and while this season is usually slow, it’s been especially so this year. I’ve been occupied with the usual office stuff, contacting prospective concert hosts, printing posters, mailing CD’s and promotional material, etc., but it’s been anything but hectic. With little work to do, most of my mental energy turned into worry and stress.

It was in the midst of this, that the song came back to me. “Come with me to a quiet place and I’ll give you rest, rest for your soul.” It started playing over and over again in my head as though the Lord was inviting me to rest in Him all over again, not from busyness, but from worry.

Just like I learned to trust God for physical and mental strength to meet the demands I faced as a youth pastor, I’m learning to trust God for daily bread as an independent musician. I’ve found that no matter what situation I find myself in, there’s always grace available to meet whatever situation I find myself in. Joy and peace comes not from a resolution of my circumstances, but rather from the knowledge that God is faithful and that He holds everything in His capable hands.

Now it bears mention that this kind of resting is not just being passive or lazy. On the contrary, resting in God is a choice. It is a conscious act of the will. And remaining in that rest means continually choosing the path of rest, and actively resisting the temptation to worry or fear. It’s also far more than just having a sort of vague hope that everything will work out. Instead, it involves placing your trust in a personal God who holds not just your world, but all things in the palm of His hand.

I find I need frequent reminders to continue on resting in Him. That’s where songs come in. I write songs to help myself (and others too) to remember these things. And to that end, I offer you this one:

“Come To Me”