Newspring Worship ‘Able’

Written by: Laura Chambers (2/14/2017)

How does faith spring up out of our difficulties to flourish amidst inclement weather? One step at a time. You can’t expect to have an enduring trust in God that instantly blooms. Chances are, if it does, it’s not rooted in fertile soil, but rather a field full of rocks. Though faith ultimately hinges on believing that God will, we need to begin with trusting that He can. There are numerous examples in the Bible of God accomplishing things that nobody could have imagined He’d do; in these stories we can find hope for our own needs. Newspring Worship reminds us that God is Able to work miraculous deeds in our lives, but more than that, He is unable to be anything less than deserving of our praise.

“Able” stands up in the midst of trouble firmly certain that God can and will resolve what afflicts us. Strong vocals mirror this conviction, pointing us towards His power and love. “See Me Through” continues with this theme, noting that our trials ought to turn us towards Him, rather than away. If God has carried us as far as He has, we have no reason to believe He will leave us now. He has given us a firm place to stand and joy throughout our difficulties. “Worthy” defines our and God’s comparative roles before triumphantly lifting praise to Jesus. We recognize not only who He is to everyone, but also declare who He is to us. His victory consumes death and pain with life.

“Now And Forever”, upon discovering the greatness of God, compels us to praise Him and surrender ourselves. It’s not a commitment made lightly, nor can it be rescinded if you truly realize the magnitude of His glory. “King Of Kings” compares our second chance in Christ to the dawning of a new day. Having seen that, we already know He can accomplish things beyond our limited imaginations. Because of His name, life fills us to overflowing. This song has a dance vibe to it, even though it never says anything about dancing. “God Of Heaven” changes the tempo to one that’s less nightclub and more coffee house, praising Jesus both for His intrinsic worth and His gift of salvation to us. That He was willing to trade His glory for its opposite for us is perfectly worded and wondered at in the bridge:

You traded honor for a crown of blame
A robe of light for naked shame
To give this orphan Your family name

“Every Line” rhetorically asks what would become of us if we were to attempt to withstand hard times alone. Rather than using our natural strength, we trust His senses to be more accurate than our own. The title of the song originates with the bridge, asking Jesus to write our lives, knowing that evidence of His glory appears in every sentence. “Our Great God” knows that God is evident, whether we look upwards at the heavens, backwards to the cross, or around in our distresses. He walks ahead of us and battles on our side. Were it not for Him, we’d have nobody on our side; instead, we’d walk through life defeated and weary, lonely and hopeless. “For Your Glory And For Me” reminds us that not only does God create and redeem for His own glory, He also considers us worth the trouble. He left all that He deserved to save us from our deserved fate. We can only answer His love with love of our own for Him and praises to His name. “Tis So Sweet” closes out this album with the hymn, reminding us how wonderful it is to have faith rather than thrashing around trying to fight our own battles.

When we begin to doubt that a breakthrough is even possible, we need only to read of the great things God has done already. Believing before we see the results is a blessing, but if we place our trust in Jesus, we’ll have an “after” to recall in our own lives. Able not only brings us comfort in our distresses, it gives us words to express our gratitude for His presence, even prior to the results we seek, promising we’ll receive far better than we could guess.

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