Covenant Worship ‘Sand and Stars’

Written by: Laura Chambers (4/3/2017)

It is incredible to think that a pledge made to one man thousands of years ago stretches out from the pages of history to touch our lives. Yet just as Abraham was promised by God that his descendants would be as innumerable as grains of sand in the desert and stars in the sky, so we too will leave behind something of lasting value. His became a great people; ours will be made up of strong leaders and faithful followers, devoted worshippers and humble servants. Covenant Worship’s live album Sand and Stars was birthed from a season of transition, passing the torch from one generation to the next with an intentional mindset that seeks to leave the world better than they found it.

“Gate Of Heaven” quietly draws from the story of Jacob’s dream of angels climbing back and forth from heaven to Earth. We, too, can sense the Lord’s presence when we are worshipping. Intensity builds midway through the song, as though, now awoken, we too see visions of heaven opening as he did. “All Things” declares that we were never meant to shoulder our own burdens or walk by ourselves. We need to believe that regardless of what we can see, God is making everything come together to our ultimate benefit. Despite none of the lyrics being unique, its melody and powerful sound redeem this song. “Back To The Father”, as its title suggests, retells the story of the prodigal son in the first person. The perspective of the song seems to switch back and forth between the end and the middle of the tale. Returning to God, we can find not only the home that eluded us on all our travels, but we learn who we are, too. Near the finish, the singer takes a moment to sum up the implications of the Father’s welcome.

“Song Of My Heart” pictures oneself as a firmly rooted tree, a child embraced by their father, able to withstand all things because of God. In everything, He is the music that we live to. The enthusiasm of this country-flavored song makes it a definite crowd-rouser, especially the assurance contained in the chorus:

 I’ll stand on Your promise
I will not be moved
Nothing can tear us apart
My faith won’t be shaken
I’m anchored in You
In death and in life You remain
The song of my heart

“Love Has Overcome” attempts to disturb the church’s complacent slumber, reminding us of the power we wield to chase away evil and the One who imparts it to us. I say “attempts” because there’s something off about this track; it’s a little too fast, perhaps. Next, “Highest Praise” summons all who would praise God, the only one could ever be worthy of the worship we have to offer. All of creation trembles in waiting for His coming kingdom. The high energy of this song will have worshippers on their feet shouting.

“Persuaded” details the wonders of God’s love; its dimensions and sufficiency. Nothing is like it; nothing can replace it. Nor is any location out of His reach. Thus convinced, we wouldn’t give it up even if something was offered to us in exchange. The album’s title track, “Sand And Stars” casts our eyes up and down to see the vastness of God’s love displayed both above our heads and beneath our feet. It will and has endured from the first to the last. His breath filled us with life and purpose beyond our understanding. If I had to pick a favorite from the album, this would be it. “All Honor” is directed to Jesus, a love and worship letter simply expressed and sincerely meant. There’s no rush to get the song over with; we seem to have all the time in the world to honor the Lord. “Doxology” brings the worship to a close with praises to a powerful God who heard us and rescued us from our fallen state. When we lift praises to Him, we can sense that the tide of our situation is turning to our advantage. Something is about to happen, and the song leaves it at that, not going into detail about the specifics. We are standing on the edge of a monumental move of God.

As you move from one season of life to the next, God goes ahead of you. He is already waiting for you there, and has prepared the way in advance. Just as we cannot begin to number the stars in the sky, nor can we imagine what God will birth from our suffering and toil. Sand And Stars promises trust and love to one entirely deserving of our glory, a fact which only becomes more evident the longer we live.

3.8/5