If you haven't heard the music of Matt Papa, I'd like to change that today. Not because he's a musical virtuoso, or because he's a supremely praiseworthy guy - though he may just be those things.
Rather, I want you to hear the words that are pouring out of this guy.
Don't get me wrong - his music is fantastic. In fact, I'd say his latest album, Your Kingdom Come, is quite possibly my favorite album of this entire year. And no, I don't mean of all Christian music this year. I mean favorite. Period.
His style ranges from full-on, driving rock to simple, melodic piano-based hymns. But regardless of the musical genre, one thing is constant in Matt Papa's music: His lyrics are incredibly raw, honest, biblical, passionate, God-glorifying, and - get this - convicting. To be honest, he reminds a lot of a certain Keith Green.
On Your Kingdom Come, there's a theme that's quite evident, and it's very appropriate for those of us at Grace Evan as we're leading up to our Mission Conference later this month. The theme is, unsurprisingly, God's Kingdom, both his reign over the earth and our involvement in it. And that's where it gets convicting. (Just read the lyrics below.)
You can hear the Song of the Week, "Here Am I, Send Me" at Matt Papa's MySpace page, along with several other tracks. But I'd strongly encourage you to check out the full album at iTunes (hey, 19 tracks for only $9.99 is a steal). It's also at Amazon, though they're missing one song at the end.
Here Am I, Send Me
by Matt Papa
Gen 12:1, Isaiah 6:1-8, Rom 12:1
Lord, here am I, won't You send me to
The broken and the weak
To the desperate and forgotten, Lord
I'm giving You everything
All my selfish plans, my greedy hands
My hope in the American dream
Lord, I give my life, lay down my pride
I'm giving You everything, God
Here am I, send me
I’ll follow wherever You lead
I will tell the world that Jesus is the way
Send me, Lord, here I am
I offer my dreams, my plans
I will give my life a living sacrifice
Lord, here I am
I can see You, Lord, upon Your throne
You're high and You're lifted up
All the angels singing, “Holy, Holy”
I'm broken and undone
Now an angel comes to touch my lips
Says your sins are all taken away
Jesus paid the price, yeah He gave His life
So, Father, hear Your people say
Here am I, send me
I’ll follow wherever You lead
I will tell the world that Jesus is the way
Send me, Lord, here I am
I offer my dreams, my plans
I will give my life a living sacrifice
Lord, here I am
Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?
Whom shall I send?
