RAISED WITH CHRIST

THE ANNUAL - JULY

SCROLL DOWN FOR SONG STORY AND CHORD CHART

JOY HORTON, Tom READ AND JAMIE THOMSON

Copyright © 2018 Joy Horton, Tom Read and Jamie Thomson

Produced and Mixed by: Tom Read

Additional Vocals: Rachael Clear

Additional Production: Jonny Bird

Photo: Dan Kim, Pedestrianmedia.com

SONG STORY

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of Go

JOY WRITES:

This song started its journey at a St Aldates songwriting retreat last year, where Tom and I were paired up for an afternoon session of writing. 

For me, the lyrics within songs have always held a high priority and I was interested in the challenge of choosing a passage from the Bible and lifting as much scripture as possible from it.  

Ahead of the retreat, Jamie had asked the teaching pastors at St Aldates to give us the preaching series for the upcoming year and one of these was Colossians. God has often spoken powerfully to me through the book of Colossians, so as Tom and I were discussing where to start, I mentioned this to him and we started to closely read a few passages about Jesus. As we read and pondered these passages, we were both led to the phrase ‘raised with Christ’ (Colossians 3:1). To us, there seemed to be something so uplifting, powerful and hopeful in this phrase. The life-giving power of Jesus, and the allusions towards His resurrection and our new lives in Him seemed to resonate again and again starkly within the passages, so we focused in on these ideas and within a couple of hours, we had written a draft ideas for the verse, pre-chorus and chorus. In a session later that evening, we wrote the second verse and rewrote some lyrics. 

Following the retreat Tom suggested we invite Jamie into the writing process and the two of them have since worked together to complete the song. Their reworking of the chorus and addition of a bridge really lifts it and emphasises the freedom we have with our new life in Christ, as we shed our old ways and embrace the new. 

I hope that this song will remind us all that we now walk in the power of the new life and freedom that Christ has gained for us.