In the midst of surviving this atmospheric river/storm/flooding season going through California, there’s no better time to be indoors as these last few weeks. Some of those indoor activities include reading and playing the piano, very convenient for me. As part of my NY resolution, I would be learning/memorizing one praise song a month so I chose “Christ be Magnified” by Cody Carnes, which was first released in 2020.

Here’s what I came up with:

Again, Dan Musselman’s version was a big influence on me, as well as this version from Essential Worship/I AM THEY.

This song was more of a challenge to cover than the hymn from last week. I realize that I’m not the greatest at active listening of trying to track the flow of the song or other smaller nuances of the song that I would just take for granted. What started off as a simple song turned out a little more complex than I expected. I tried to focus more on directing the flow of the song to slowly build up or pull back when needed and do my own versions of some transitions. I experimented a bit at certain parts, particularly at the transition right before the bridge. Inspired by Dan’s version, I did a simplified version of his cadenza and tried to do a waterfall transition into the bridge. The result was admittedly a bit clunky but something different I’ve never tried before. I tried to rely less on my autopilot playing style and try to be deliberate in my playing, which I think I accomplished to a small degree.

My Thoughts

I chose this song because I liked the flow of the verses. There is something lyrical about its melody and rhythm lines that I can’t really explain with the right words–from the triplet wording that ends the first line of each verse to how the melody of the second half of the verse travels up and down and resolves itself. It sounds pleasing to my ears to hear. There are some praise songs that I do not like, based on the way they sound, which is a very petty thing to dislike a song over but luckily, this isn’t one of them!

Though, ironically, I do have one friend who does not like this song for the same reasons that I like this song.

Anyway.

I wanted to focus on the first half of the bridge, which reads this:

I won't bow to idols, I'll stand strong and worship You
And if it puts me in the fire, I'll rejoice 'cause You're there too
I won't be formed by feelings, I hold fast to what is true
If the cross brings transformation then I'll be crucified with You

There’s a sort of meditative tone to this bridge that makes me pause and digest what I’m actually singing/hearing. I like the tone of resolve that slowly builds during this part, the determination and hope to hold onto what I know to be true. There are things that I idolize like chasing after approval/validation from other people (particularly family) or my time/comfort/stability, amongst other things. The things I idolize appear really big and hard to ignore or let go of but I’m reminded that my lot is and should be with Jesus. Even when it seems counterintuitive or like I’m making the wrong decision, I’ll rejoice because He is still the safest place I can be with. Choosing God as the first priority will never be a mistake.

I resonated with the line, “I won’t be formed by feelings, I hold fast to what is true”. My emotions and anxieties are not accurate representations of reality, no matter how loud they are. Holding fast to what is true is hard but it is a conscious decision I try to make each day in order to not let my emotions win. It’s really cool that this verse also fits in with our key verse for this year, Romans 12:9, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

What is good is the same as what is true. What is true is that I am not unloved and alone. Again, I am redeemed and loved by a faithful, forgiving Father who has sent Jesus to pay the price for my sins so that I may have a second chance at life. The cross is a reminder and promise of God’s love and high vision for me. What other news in my life could be more important and hopeful than that?

Knowing how much stuff in me that’s pretty messed up/leaves me at a loss of what to do, I cling onto that hope in the gospel and really push myself to offer everything about it to God. I really want to experience God more to a magnified degree in my life to see what He’ll do, what miracles He will perform, to redeem these parts of me.

I’m reminded again of a high level of joy Christians get to experience, even through hard times.