Come rest applies to Christians
If It Leads Me Back
Artist: Lindsay McCaul (www.lindsaymccaul.com)
Label: Provident Label Group
Length: 11 tracks/41:33 minutes
How is it that what I hear resonates so deeply? More than
a common humanity, it is a living God who communicates timeless truths through
broken lives. It underscores our ongoing need for grace. We never outgrow it.
This is why Lindsay McCaul is continually addressing God
in If It Leads Me Back. It is a form
of worship. These are like Psalms: honest, vulnerable and earnest. These poetic
expressions combine depth with a sophisticated sound. I rather like this hybrid
of modern worship and the singer/songwriter muse.
McCaul has written or co-written every song. Her
co-writers include seasoned pros: Jason Ingram, Mia Fieldes and Cindy Morgan.
It starts with “Say My Name,” which is indicative of our
twisted nature: “I cradle the pain, regret that remains / I play it over and
over differently.” We know how to meditate; the problem is that we tend to
focus on the wrong things. The chorus offers a way of escape, “You say my name
/ And tell me I can walk away / From all my fears and yesterday.”
“Come Rest” is a favorite for lyrics rooted in one of the
most sublime passages in Scripture, Matthew 11:28-30. McCaul applies it to the
Christian life, “When you say come, rest / Should I be working so hard / When
you say love, rest / Did you want hands or my heart.” She reckons that all our
labor “is but a candle to the sun.” Ultimately, she chooses to trust in God’s
promises and realizes “that all you ever wanted was me here.”
Initially, “You Never Change” was my least favorite song,
but its bouncy rhythm and whimsical voice are just playful packaging for
something foundational. McCaul sings of expecting mercies to fade and grace to
go away, but instead finds God smiling, waiting to see her look of amazement when
she realizes that He is still there. The thought of never being separated and
loved unconditionally is like a pillow for weary heads. The track extols God’s
unchangeable nature.
It’s followed by “Speak,” a determination to lean into
God, highlighted by sweeping guitar and ethereal programming, reminiscent of
Rebecca St. James.
One of the more acoustic tracks, “Hold On to Me,” is
another favorite. A quiet desperation in McCaul’s singing and delicate acoustic
guitar evoke an appealing sense of fragility. What a comfort to know that “When
I am barely holding on / You hold on to me.”
McCaul saves the best for last on the title track,
written with Cindy Morgan. This would be at home on any of the latter’s
recordings. McCaul plumbs the depths of Christian experience to the
accompaniment of piano. The second half of the chorus states, “I would walk a
thousand miles / And crawl if I have to / If that’s what I have to do / If it
leads me back to you.”
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