aaron niequist
all creation waits / bated breath in pain
for redemption’s day
all creation cries / floods and charcoal skies
things are not alright
with brokenness and broken fists we
beat upon the breast of falleness
we hear the call of kingdom come as
one more train we chase to only miss
but we will never give up on it
we’re part of the resistance
we’re running in the revolution
we’re part of the insistance
that we are more than institution
we’re part of the tradition
of spirit- fueled evolution
we’re part of the resistance
we’re running in the revolution,
revolution
all creation groans / in one voice alone
for them to be shown
all creation cries / floods and charcoal skies
things are not alright
we’re living in a world built on the walls
between the haves and never wills
but we’re following a King who’s ears are
bent to those forgotten and unfilled
and He will never give up on it
repeat chorus
we’re standing up / and we’re kneeling down
and we’re digging in / and we’re reaching out
and we’re loving more / and we’re holding less
and we won’t back down / from this holy mess
and we’re chosing hope / and we’re chosing peace
we were chosen by Grace / to bring flesh and feet
to the Loving More / to the Holding Rest
and we won’t back down....
©2008 AARONieq Music
this song was born of the ache and sadness of being human. things are really broken--on the huge, systemic level, and at my deepest core --and it’s hard to know what to do with it all. the scriptures say that “all of creation waits and groans for the children of God to be revealed,” and I believe that means you and me and anyone else who resists the infectious hopelessness, and is willing to join God’s Movement of healing creation from the bottom up.
musically, this tune began as a loud, driving guitar song. it seemed like the obvious setting for a pseudo-protest song. however, the faster and louder it became, the less I believed it or wanted to sing it…the frenetic energy sucked out the soul. so one day I stripped it back to its bare bones: the melody, a Rhodes, and my foot tapping along, and I re-discovered a song that I believe in.
This is a song/story/reflection experience based on the song "The Resistance". Exploring the deep ache inside of us, we are both pleading with God to make the world right and offering ourselves to this Loving Revolution. Recorded at the 11:15am service of Willow Creek on december 6th, 2009. All images created by Blaine Hogan.
(low-end alert: it's best heard through headphones, rather than computer speakers...)
The Resistance Ache Experience live from aaron niequist on Vimeo.
