I recently finished reading David Platt’s perspective-shattering best-selling book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. In the last chapter of his book, Platt challenges readers to a radical one-year experiment starting on page 183.

Platt writes: “Throughout this book we have explored a variety of bold claims about our purpose in life that are contradicted by the American dream. Claims such as these: Real success is found in radical sacrifice. Ultimate satisfaction is found not in making much of ourselves but in making much of God. The purpose of our lives transcends the country and culture in which we live. Meaning is found in community, not individualism; joy in found in generosity, not materialism; and truth is found in Christ, not universalism. Ultimately Jesus is a reward worth risking everything to know, experience and enjoy.”

After 12 years of making music--including six studio projects, participation in more than 21 compilations and additional recordings, two books and over 1.6 million albums sold--the GRAMMY ® recognized David Crowder*Band unveiled their seventh and final record, Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]) on Jan. 10, 2012.

Announced initially to their fans, the celebrated band revealed their final plans earlier this year before their highly successful “The 7 Tour.” Named among the “most thoughtful, progressive and exciting acts in contemporary Christian music” by The New York Times, the popular yet unconventional David Crowder*Band finishes their career with an epic, triumphant collection of 34 songs that poetically illustrate that in death something new is reborn. The album showcases the band’s unique music style and touches on worship, pop, rock, bluegrass and electronic genres. I had the great opportunity to interview David Crowder about the album’s first single, “Let Me Feel You Shine."

Please tell me the background story behind writing the song “Let Me Feel You Shine.”

I wrote this song on the tail end of the decision to end our time as a band; it put the period at the end of the sentence. I don’t think I have written as personal of a song as this one. For me, all of the experience of closing this chapter, of looking ahead and trusting, is in this song. I know all of us are in these moments where life twists and turns, and you don’t see what’s coming, but you feel God’s leading and you have to jump out and take the risk and see what it means to be a person of faith. What I love about the whole arc of this thing that has been David Crowder*Band and coming to a close is that on paper it makes no sense. Looking back on each release, each album has been stronger than the previous one, and culturally speaking it doesn’t make sense. You don’t quit when you’ve got momentum built.

And yet, with our faith, it’s an upside down Kingdom. In that way it’s the norm. “The first will be last. The poor are rich. After death is life.” It’s all upside down and because you breathe in culture and strive for success, what you breathe in and out your entire life isn’t to let go when things are going well. That’s what the song is about.

Did you base the song on any Bible verses?

Genesis 22:9-14: When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ he said. ‘Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.’”

What's the takeaway message for listeners about the song and final album?

For us, being in a space where we have people around us and families that are asking God what’s next, we know it’s something else than continuing as a band. It would be different if we had something else sitting out there and we couldn’t wait to move on. That’s not our story. We don’t know what we’re going to do, but we know God’s calling us to go somewhere else. The only choice we have is to follow. It doesn’t change the attachment and love for the thing. You still have that fear in your chest.

The second verse: “I lift the knife to the thing I love most, Praying You'll come so I can have both” is about the moment that’s beautiful and intense and hard and you know that you don’t want to sacrifice something, but you need to be obedient to the calling. There’s usually a ram in the bush. That’s the beauty of the story, there’s something good around the corner and you know God’s already beaten you to it. That part feels really great. I’m glad that the story goes like this, such a counter-cultural statement.

Success isn’t sales or performances, but whether we’re in a living, breathing relationship with God and where he wants us. When you’re in that moment when you’re called to sacrifice and you’re obedient and you still have that desperate hope that you’re doing the right thing, we’ve had comfort from our friends and families. When you’re called to sacrifice, Jesus tells us His Kingdom is upside down. In a personal pronoun song like this one, it doesn’t reference community. Community allows us to hear the voice of God and trust Him.

How can we pray for you and the band?

Like Abraham going up that mountain to sacrifice Isaac, we know where we are heading, but that doesn’t make it less intense. We need just enough light to take that next step and the courage to take it. All of us are asking for prayer for patience to wait on the Lord to reveal His plans for us.

Lyrics:
This place is trying to break my belief
But my faith is bigger than all I can see
What I need is redemption
What I need is for You for to put me back on my feet

Wha ah ooooh ooooh oooh
Wha ah ooooh ooooh ooh oh

I swear I'm trying to give everything
But I feel I'm falling, oh make me believe
What I need is resurrection
What I need is for You to put me back on my feet

Wha ah ooooh ooooh oooh
Wha ah ooooh ooooh ooh ohhh

If I could feel You shine Your perpetual light
Then maybe I could crawl out of this tonight
If I could feel You feel You shine
Oh let me feel You shine
So beautiful and warm
So beautiful and bright
Like a sun comin' out of a rainy sky
Oh let me feel You shine Oh,
Let me feel You shine

I lift the knife to the thing I love most
Praying You'll come so I can have both
What I need is for You to touch me
What I need is for You to be the thing that I need

Wha ah ooooh ooooh oooh
Wha ah ooooh ooooh ooh ohhh

If I could feel You shine your perpetual light
Then maybe I could crawl out of this tonight
If I could feel You feel You shine
Oh let me feel You shine
So beautiful and warm
So beautiful and bright
Like a sun comin' out of a rainy sky
Oh let me feel You shine
God I need a Savior
O come Generous King
O God I need a Savior
To come rescue me

Oh let me feel You shine Your magnificent light
Then maybe I could crawl out of this tonight
If You let me feel You feel You shine
Oh let me feel You shine
So beautiful and warm
So beautiful and bright
Like a sun comin' out of a rainy sky
Oh let me feel You shine

Let me feel You shine
Let me feel You shine

Asbury’s Bible commentary: “The seriousness of faith is nowhere more clearly highlighted than in the narrative of Abraham's offering Isaac to God. This is no play acting but a genuine struggle that brings the patriarch to the pinnacle of his walk with God. God genuinely must know the extent of Abraham's trust in the call. Abraham's response to God's voice is immediate. They have a history with one another, and though the command to sacrifice Isaac is absurdly incomprehensible, Abraham demonstrates faith in God's dependability. This is a God whom he can trust though he may not understand. We are assured in Heb 11:17-19 that Abraham is convinced that God can “raise the dead” and so will give Isaac back from death.”

“The issue at stake supersedes the concept of promise per se and focuses on a God who demands unequivocal trust and allegiance. It is a message of timeless character particularly appropriate at times when the church is inclined to accommodate her standards to the world and compromise faith to something much less demanding. Abraham's obedience illustrates the serious nature of faith and encourages the community to allow God to be fully God. The narrative concludes with an affirmation of God as Provider. In the appearance of the ram, God shows grace and sets the entire story in the context of providential care. In response to Abraham's obedience, God once more reiterates the divine obligations of the covenant. The promise is still very much alive.”

One of my personal challenges for this is found in the second verse of this incredible song, the portion David referenced. “Let Me Feel You Shine” is a great song that stirs my heart and increases my convictions to grow closer to God during my worship and devotional time. We all have our security in that we sometimes trust more than God, and this song challenges me to pray more to grow closer to God. The cost of discipleship is to make Jesus the Lord of our lives. God sent Jesus so that we could have light return. As believers that’s our story and our challenge to think about how we are reflecting the light of Jesus and how we are spending our time before we die.

This is a great message and song for us to celebrate our freedom from sin based on our faith in Christ Jesus. Also, it is commanded by Jesus in Matthew 5:16 to "let your light shine" so that others may praise God based on seeing the power of His life in us. Sometimes we forget to give Jesus credit for our freedom and accomplishments. We need to celebrate that freedom with our hands reaching out to others in Christ and show His light in us and let Him shine in us.

In closing, be encouraged by the light of Jesus shining in all of us based on our faith in Him. Personally I am very moved knowing that Jesus is shining in me for all to see and believe. Perhaps we can all practice "letting our light shine so that others may praise our Father in Heaven." Thank you David Crowder*Band for your music and ministry.