Kari Jobe ‘The Garden’

Written by: Laura Chambers (1/25/2017)

There’s something wild and mysterious about a garden. A sacred niche where the soul can find quiet refuge in the arms of God. Explore the beauty of His varied creations; tasting berries, crumbling spicy leaves between your fingers, stroking the soft petals of tiny flowers. Surrounding ourselves with beauty can bring us closer to Him. Kari Jobe knows well the solace gardens can bring. Following the stillbirth of her sister’s baby girl, Kari was broken. Through the new spring growth in her backyard garden, God sent her a powerful reminder that He was still working in spite of her heartbreak. Watered by her tears, these ashes produced The Garden, tiny green shoots of hope and praise that spring up from the fertile ground, daring us to hope again.

“The Garden”, soft and ethereal, stirs to life from the slumber of winter’s heartbreak. Jobe’s beautiful voice rises upward with this hopeful song that uses ivy leaves as a metaphor for the power of life to overcome death. God hasn’t forsaken us, as we often fear when the cold weather sets in to our souls; rather, it is a reminder of how He sustains us throughout. “Let Your Glory Fall” returns to the oft-used comparison between God’s spirit and rainfall. It’s not out of place in this theme, however, and draws us towards that which our souls thirst for; unlimited love which, like water, refreshes our souls. “Heal Our Land” celebrates and prays for restoration, not just on a personal level, but globally. He can speak both to us and through us, bringing healing and salvation to all who will receive Him. This song takes flight as a bird does, carrying our prayers heavenward. “Lover Of My Soul” summons a loving God with all the urgency a soul can muster. Pouring out the contents of a singularly focused heart, Jobe devotes herself to the Lord. As always, her passion for God is inescapably obvious. “Speak To Me” has a quality to it as though one were standing inside a tunnel near a seashore, until nearly all sound hushes and coalesces into a simple prayer of obedient waiting on the voice of God. How can one voice soothe and ignite, calm and stir, whisper and thunder? Somehow, that’s exactly the effect God’s word, both Scriptural and personal, can have on a soul. Waves of emotion crash and lap at the shore with every note.

“Fall Afresh” expresses a dedicating of oneself, heart, soul, and body, seeking God’s presence as an ever-present influence. We can be renewed when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us. We are to seek holiness from Him that He may continue to work in our lives. “I Will Sing” speaks of the need to know God is with us, even as it declares to be truth what we often doubt. Is it possible to praise God in our weakest, darkest moments? Jobe vows that very thing, remembering Jesus’ victory over death and the many promises written in His word. We can surrender, knowing that He cannot be defeated. “Miracles” recalls the seemingly impossible acts performed by Jesus, relating them to our current, unresolved obstacles. At first, the song has a kind of slanted sound to it, as though taking initially shaky steps of faith, then triumphantly declares this truth as trust becomes stronger than fear. The first of two tracks featuring Jobe’s husband, Cody Carnes, “Closer To Your Heart”  is staggered when comparing what little has been seen of God‘s glory, and how much there is left to unveil. His love is irresistible; with each new revelation, you want to move in nearer. It’s literally the journey of a lifetime, from glory to glory.  “Oh The Power” returns to the familiar scene of Christ surrendering to God’s will in  the garden of Gethsemane – His destiny as the savior of all mankind – then carrying out His sacrifice on Calvary. By doing so, His love met us there in death to bring life. For that, He deserves His throne and our endless worship.

“The Cause Of Christ” resolves to be known for loving and following Christ over anything else, willing to live and die to that end and forsaking all else. These lines, in particular-

“When agonizing questions rise
In Jesus all my hope abides”

-seem to hearken back to the lyrics one would find in an old hymnal. (Maybe it is a new take on an old hymn lyric – I don’t know.) Rather than seeking to be known for one‘s own accomplishments, we ought to be remembered for our humility as we placed the Lord’s reputation above ours. Cody Carnes steps back into the spotlight next to Kari for “Here As In Heaven”, which in turn shines a light on God’s presence and the effect it has on us, pulling us together to seek Him. We need only look around and we’ll see glimpses of Him everywhere.  “Come Alive” wonders at the way what would otherwise be contradictions somehow manage to coexist in the person of a holy God. He is strong and tender, holy and lowly, sage and simple, powerful and secure. This is what draws us towards Him and revives us when we give Him everything. “On The Throne” closes out on a declaration of faith assured and acted on. Knowing that He’s ultimately in control of our circumstances and high above every obstacle imparts strength to us where it would otherwise not exist. The bridge soars in confidence that God is higher and greater than all things.

Is there anything more hopeful than the first green buds of spring? Though our hearts, like the earth, hibernate when the cold winds blow, sunshine will return, bringing with it peace, stillness of the soul, and an unshakeable certainty that life will be restored again. The Garden cradles us in the arms of Jesus, coaxing faith to the surface of our consciousness with raindrops of assurance. Kari Jobe bares her soul before the Lord, completely open to His leading and confident in His faithfulness.

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