I Want to be One of Them

Do you ever have a song that just sticks with you? The more you listen to it, the more you want to listen to it, and the more you sing along, the more the words become a sort of anthem in your heart? Lately, for me, that song has been "When the Saints" by Sara Groves.

Surprisingly, "When the Saints" has been one of my favorite songs since the album came out. It immediately spoke to a deep part of my heart. That part of my heart is the part of me that wants so desperately to make something out of my life. The part of me that wants to be the kind of person who makes an impact in the world; the kind of person who leaves an indelible mark on the world. I want to be the kind of person who's life is reflected in her faith, and whose faith is reflected in her life.

"When the Saints" started out as a catchy song that I couldn't get out of my head. Now it has become an anthem, a prayer, a cry of my heart to the Creator of all I love. Curious about the lyrics yet? Here they are...

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compells me

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man's side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door

I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

This song has turned into my prayer. That when I am weary and heavy-laden, I turn to God. My prayer is that when I am happy and overjoyed, I find His love.

And when I finally meet my Jesus face to face, I pray that I am welcomed in as one of His saints.