Rita Springer ‘Battles’

Written by: Laura Chambers (3/12/2017)

The sound of the last shot echoes across the sky, fading into silence; the enemy, white flag in hand, is securely in custody, unable to harm you anymore. It’s a time for healing and restoration, new beginnings and a lasting peace. Joy and peace well up inside. It isn’t hard to find a reason to celebrate after the fight has been won. The true measure of faith is whether we can rejoice in the middle of the fighting; whether that selfsame peace reigns over us in times of conflict as well. Rita Springer believes that certainty can be ours whatever our inner or outer states. The gritty anthems of Battles remind us to look beyond opposition and obstacles to the victory that’s waiting for us on the other side, secure in Christ.

“Every Battle” finds every opposing power lacking in comparison to Christ. Whatever we’re up against, the fight belongs to Him, not us, so we don’t have to fear losing. We are shielded by Him and need only rest in His care. “I Believe In You” assures us that as easy as it is to lose our passion in the midst of our trouble, God can still revive it again. Neither deception nor another’s pronouncements of judgment can stand between us and Him. We therefore freely give all of our lives to God. With powerful images evoked by lines like “It’s a beautiful dance when we step over the grave”, Springer reminds us that nobody but God will have the final word on our destinies. “Never Lost” recalls the steadfast faithfulness of the Lord. Neither darkness nor storms can shake us from our foundation in Him. She reminds all opposed to Him that Jesus hasn’t been conquered yet and never will be. Sure to inspire courage for the perilous road ahead. “Defender” has a softer tone, but is no less trusting, as Springer contrasts Christ’s role in the fight with ours. He wars and conquers while we surrender to Him, praising and believing. Doing things His way is far superior to taking matters into our own hands.

“Our God Is With Us” admits we often act based upon our perception of the situation. We need to remember that no matter what it looks like, we have hope because God is on our side. Whatever we experience, we need to trust that He desires our good. Springer tenderly drive home the comforting fact that we are loved by somebody who knows exactly what He’s doing. “There Is No Striving” affirms the free gift of love and adoption Christ offers to us; it’s the one thing in this life that we don’t have to fight to attain. He sees us at all times. “You Remain The Same” declares that our ideas about how things ought to be are inferior to God’s. Nothing we devise will dim His love for us. This moves us to do whatever we have to in order to experience Him. We can’t ever entirely know Him, nor can we evade His reach. “You Have Control” moves into a posture of worship, releasing everything held and accepting everything held out. Swaying with the unsteady motion of a soul crumpling to the floor in surrender, this song slowly pours out self-sufficiency and replaces it with an awareness of inadequacy.

“Carry Me” comes before Jesus in gratitude for the return of lost things, willing to give Him all we possess. He sees beauty in shattered things. Using the story of the shepherd who left all his sheep to find the one lost one, Springer pictures herself as that one lamb, safe in His arms. He sees all, conquers all, and is continually making us more like Him. “I’m Okay” needs nothing beyond Jesus to be at peace. He sees the worst parts of us and finds beauty in it. All we really need to be certain of in chaos is Him; it makes anything worth enduring. It actually seems more like a final track than the one that follows it. “You Never Change” shows us that we can declare the goodness of God in uncertainty, pain, and in the midst of an attack. He doesn’t alter who He is, remaining brilliant and constantly near to us.

Battles encourages us to give God our weapons when they become too heavy for us and learn to simply hide behind His shield, quietly trusting that He is more than capable of defending us. Rita Springer alternates between anthems worthy of Deborah and prayers of appreciation for all the ways God has manifested Himself in her life.

3.7/5