Every Knee Will Bow

Just returned from San Anontio Texas taking a look at the facilities and various rooms where we’ll be having the 2012 World Discipleship Summit in just over a years’ time (www.icocconference.org).  The concept of this gathering is to have no other regional or international conferences in our family of churches next year and get as many people as we can to come together for this one collective time of worship, celebration, prayer, teaching, planning and dreaming as several conferences all take place at the same time.  It was really inspiring to look at the various venues where disciples will gather, particularly the AT&T Center (where the Spurs play) where we will gather several nights and on Sunday morning to worship “in the round”.  (See this link for a video with more details about the World Summit.)

As we look at world evangelism and consider the task ahead of us it is easy to feel so small and insignificant.  Surely the brothers and sisters in the early church must have felt that way at times under the huge shadow of the Roman Empire, the Caesars, the dominance, the worldliness all around them.  Yet as Paul wrote to the Philippian brothers and sisters, telling them to remember Jesus and imitate him he quotes what many consider an early Christian hymn and writes:

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11)

One day everyone WILL know.  One day everyone will see as prayerfully we see now.  That Jesus is the way, the truth, the life, the answer.  John writes:

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
(Revelation 1:7)

We are trying to do what we can to get the word out now about who Jesus is, what it means to be his follower, and the transformation that occurs when we know his grace.  I’m so proud of our international fellowship – even that we have more churches outside the United States than American churches.  Yet there is still so much work to be done!  This song is a prayer for faith, boldness, and determination as we continue to let the whole world know.

EVERY KNEE WILL BOW

The whole world will know
We’ll sing it loud
We give all to crown you now
The whole world will see as
We see you now
one day every knee will bow
one day every knee will bow

O God you make us sing
You’ve giv’n us everything
To you our all we bring
in royal praise
In this dark world we’ll shine
Until the end of time
We’ll tell the world to find
your saving grace
to seek your face…

Since Adam’s ground was cursed
Children of Eve been birthed
The dragon to the earth
in fury hurled
But still you had a way
Your only son you gave
Your kingdom here to save
so loved the world
the whole world…

Now give us strength to tell
Push back the gates of Hell
By your love we are compelled
the gospel preach
Now make us brave and bold
Help us achieve the goal
That one day every soul
your grace will reach
you word we speak…

Chorus:
G      C     G/B     /  amin    D
G      C       /    D    Dsus   D    D/F#
G      C    G/B /     amin      D
G      C     /       D
C (add2)    /      D

Verse:
amin     C    /    D
amin     C    /    D
amin     C   /     D      G
C (add2)    / C     (add2)
amin     C    /    D
amin     C    /    D
amin     C   /     D      G
C (add2)   /     D

---