"Release What Holds You Back"
/Here’s a hymn inspired by A Sanctified Art’s “Our Money Story” worship series. It’s written in CMD, has an ABCB/ABCB rhyme scheme, and is sung to the tune KINGSFOLD. It’s based on Matthew 19:16-22. The first eight syllables of this hymn are borrowed from the opening line of a hymn written by Horatius Bonar in 1846. In a vein similar to his original hymn “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say", I wrote this hymn from the perspective of the man who encountered Jesus, in this case in Matthew 19:16-22. As always, if you would like this hymn notated to a different tune, I’m happy to do so upon request as long as the tune is public domain or I have written permission from the copyright holder.
Permission is given for use in congregational worship. Please give the following credit: "Copyright 2020 Stephen M. Fearing | www.stephenmfearing.com"
CLICK HERE for a PDF of the hymn.
I heard the voice of Jesus say: “Release what holds you back.
If you will listen, search your heart, I’ll show you what you lack.
You have so much; it holds you down. I see it in your eyes.
You’ve come to me to seek the truth. Now hear what I advise.”
“If you desire to be complete, then this is what you do:
Go back into your fancy house and sell what you’ve accrued.
Then give the money to the poor and live life graciously.
Once this is done you’ll be released to come and follow me.”
I turned about and walked away, his words inside my head.
I wondered if I had the strength to do as he had said.
I came to him to find the truth, but now I’m feeling lost.
I treasure all the things I own. They’re mine, but at what cost?