Just an "Offering"

Late last year someone suggested I send Paul Baloche the Christmas lyric I wrote for "Above All". I was a little hesitant to do that because, as I have been cautioned before, copyright forbids that sort of thing. But I went ahead and sent Paul my lyric. He replied and said it didn't bother him at all, in fact he often made lyric edits or additions as a worship leader in his own church - something that is my "stock in trade" around here.

If an author or publisher ever asked me to stop using something I've written, I would certainly do so. In the meantime, I continue to write edits (when a lyric needs theological correction, artistic enhancement, or a verse for seasonal use.) If it bothers you, don't think of it as a verse to someone else's song. Think of it as a free-standing poem - that happens to fit the meter of a song.

This is a poem I wrote that has a lot in common with a song of Paul's. I call the poem
"This Wondrous Love". I especially like the echo of three hymns: "What Wondrous Love is This?", "Amazing Grace", and "O Sacred Head now wounded".


"This Wondrous Love"

What is this wondrous love that made you climb that hill
to bring Your healing to the nations?
What vast, amazing grace, that you would take the nails
all to accomplish our salvation?
But you let your blood be shed,
and you took the thorns upon Your sacred head.

© Rick Lindholtz, 2005