So many new places
We jet, we surf, leave traces
We look for direction
Without a home

So many ambitions
We strive, attain, seek vision
We seek for perfection
Without a goal

For forever our hunger
We cure, insure, make younger
We seek resurrection
Without a hope

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

Autumn leaves are dancing samba through the air
Splashing red, orange, yellow on me
And they’re dancing while a rainy grave is waiting
Clouds are towering over me and yet I see
The noon-time blue cut through
How the sky now seems to try to touch the mountains

On this autumn day
Stirs up a yearning to discover new ways
On this autumn day
The old is dying, the new is coming my way

Old convictions wander through my mind and I find
They’re travelling out of reach
And I find I lack the strength to grasp and hold them
I breathe the air I see the changes all around me
How a new season is advancing
And abandoned like the leaves I join the dancing

On this autumn day…

Old convictions wander through my mind and I find
They’re travelling out of reach
And I find I lack the strength to grasp and hold them
And I find I need your love to warm and hold me
How I need your love, O Lord, to warm and hold me

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

What if she walked out from the pages of a glossy magazine
What if she walked into my room
With her long legs and her bright smile
And a skin so smooth it begs me to be touched
Would I take her?

But how could I look my girl in the eye?
She’s stood by me through the lows and through the highs
She’s shown me love that’s so much more...
Than hormones and the tickle of a fairground ride

What if I won ten million pounds tomorrow unexpectedly
What if they whispered countless dreams
Of a fast car and a big house
And the lure of no more work - never again
Would I take it?

But how could I look those youths in the eye
We washed their feet on the kerbs where they survive another night
On streets that weigh their lives with bullets
And comfort’s in the glue they sniff to numb the pain

What if I had the chance to make my mark on pop idolatry
What if a billion knew my name?
Every word said and what I do
Could be seen and heard in hotels and in hovels
Would I take it?

But how could I look my Jesus in the eye?
He’s stood by me in my failures and my fights
Washes my feet and bears my pain
Receives the nails for all the wrong choices that I will make
Receives the nails for all the wrong choices that I have made

What if she walked out from the pages of a glossy magazine
What if she walked into your room

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

The song of creation: And God saw it was good
The song of a sunrise – each morning God’s mercies are new
The song of the rainbow: God is faithful and true
These are the songs we sing

The song of a new life when a baby is born
The song of tender love in a mother’s eyes
The song of eternal hope when a faithful friend dies
These are the songs we sing

New songs, new songs we sing
Old are the tunes
But when played on a new string they are
New songs, new songs we sing
Never told, never heard, never played
Never sung before

The song of deliverance, the song of the cross
The song of a Father’s love, song of painful loss
The song of freedom sung for 2000 years
And yet so fresh when a new child of God sings

New songs, new songs we sing…

The song of the hurting, the song of the weak
The song of the lonely who dare not speak
For themselves, when we listen and we seek
To understand the new songs they sing

Then new songs, new songs they sing
Sing them out, make them heard
They need our voice so that more ears can listen to those
New songs, new songs they sing
Never told, never heard, never played
Never sung before

New songs, new songs we sing
Don’t let them tell you they’ve been sung before
‘Cause it’s you who is singing them, those
New songs, new songs we sing
Never told, never heard, never played
Never sung before

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

I saw a face today
It stood out from the crowd, it sent out rays of light
I could not turn away
Like a moth I was drawn and then her gaze met mine
And it looked in my heart, it seemed to pierce my soul
I felt confusion, joy, elation, fear, all at the same time – but...

She is mine, yes, mine
There is no reason or rhyme
Why she’d choose to live with me
A heap of quirks such as I am
It’s so utterly glorious, inexpressibly fine
That she is mine ... for the rest of our time here

I heard a voice today
It rang out like a bell, made me a Sunday child
She calls my name and I
Know I’m known by that sound, loved, understood, untied
And it chimes in my heart, it seems to pierce my soul
I feel confusion, joy, elation, fear all at the same time – but…

She is mine…

I felt a touch today
It was gentle and firm, two hands enclosing mine
Held by a greater hand
We walk into the future, with our lives entwined
And she touches my heart, she seems to pierce my soul
I feel confusion, joy, elation, pride all at the same time – that…

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

Don’t want to be a one-trick pony
A circus clown with just one skit
Don’t want to pull the blinds against the sun
My cushions get bleached - so be it
Don’t want to spend my life on roundabouts
Just to make sure I don’t go wrong
I want to take this life, unwrap the gift
God, I am free, yet I belong

You give me
Wide open space where I can run
Mountains to climb towards the sun
Play with the wind, dive ocean deep
Yet you never lose sight of me

Don’t want to play the same old tune again
Just ‘cause I know people applaud
Don’t want to hide my pain behind a grin
Call me a wimp, but not a fraud
Don’t want to run from people’s misery
And just pretend nothing is wrong
I want to share this life with family
God, I am free, yet I belong

You give me…

Don’t want to spout time-honoured trivia
Just ‘cause I learnt them as a child
Don’t want to wear that boring coat again
I’ll get a new one, bright and wild
Don’t want to whitewash this old tomb again
I know I’m crumbling, yet I breathe
Don’t want to end my life a Pharisee
God, I belong, yet I am free

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

I was tossed about by winds of deep uncertainty
nearly drowning in a sea of melancholy grief
wishing, yearning, craving for the people, places, things of the past…
I was weighed down by my faults and inconsistencies
and the self-made prison bars were closing in on me
then a ray of light broke through
and the echo of a tune: “Free at last!”
In the dry lands of our soul let the freedom thunder roll
in the darkness of our days shine your light so we can

Praise you, every minute of my day
I want to praise you, let the dark clouds roll away
I want to understand more deeply
How you freed me from ungrace
I want to praise … praise you!

How we strive to be the saints we’re not but think should be
to succeed in this game of holy monopoly
How we fail to just surrender and receive – amazing grace…
And the servant on the cross, He pleads: “Come back to me…”
And the Spirit’s still, small voice whispers: “He set you free…”
I rejoice in my release, Lord, I celebrate your … life and peace!

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

Lord of heav’n and earth
All of creation whispers: You are God
See my fickle heart
And how at times the darkness tries to rob
All that Im convinced of: Your beauty, your love and power
Come, let your light shine once more

Lord Immanuel, You came so close to show the Fathers heart
Yet my feelings stray
Away from you to choose a strangers part
How you run to greet me, to kiss me, your wayward child
Embrace this prodigal once more

Lord of wind and fire
Your breath has touched my life and lit a flame
Yet at times it seems
That only lead is flowing through my veins
Heavy heart makes mouth too dumb to confess your name
Spirit, surprise me, with power

Lord of life and death
When earthly time runs out, my limbs grow lame
Let my final breath
Proclaim your faithfulness and speak your name
Should the liar cripple my faith in eternal life
Then let your truth set me free

Lord of earth and heav’n
In this dim shadowland I do believe
I will see you face
To face and all my doubts will fade away
When your light consumes me, I drink in the Father's voice:
“My faithful servant, well done!
My faithful servant, my son!”

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

My grandpa never spoke when he came back from Adolf's war
So no-one knew his story when he died
He gave the cows a hiding when the voices wanted out
But I wonder:
Could he have spoken if he'd tried?

My friend arrived at midnight - we were merry, he was drunk
We were partying, he sought refuge from his ghosts
He died a few years later from the dust that cursed his mind
And I wonder: Could he have changed if he had tried?

Her eyes beg him to stop as he spills out his acrid bile
Another tug to tear apart their lives
At night he cries for mercy to the God who knows his guts
And I wonder:
Can he stay calm next time he tries?

You ask about resolutions for this brand-new year ahead
By God I've rags to burn, new clothes to try
We bait, we trick, we coax our souls
Refine our worthy list of goals
I wonder:
Will this old Adam ever die?

(In memoriam David // Colossians 3:1-14)

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

To satisfy the crowd you died
They flogged you, mocked you
“Hail the king” they cried
The masses chanted: “Crucify!”
To satisfy the blinded crowd you died

To satisfy your father’s will
You breathe your last upon Golgotha hill
Utmost forsakenness you feel
To satisfy a loving father’s will

To satisfy my hungry soul
My God becomes a servant for us all
Your life is crushed to make me whole
To satisfy my hungry heart and soul

To satisfy your will I pray
That you – not I – may shape my life each day
That never such great love I doubt
And never aim to satisfy the crowd

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

Jesus, wohin soll’n wir geh’n
Du hast Worte des ewigen Lebens
Jesus, wem soll’n wir vertrau’n
Dein Wort ist Wahrheit und Licht

Und wir haben geglaubt: Du bist Christus, der Herr
Wir vertrauen Dir, dass Du uns hinziehst zu Dir

Jesus, to whom shall we go
You have the words of life eternal
Jesus, in whom shall we trust
Your word is life, light and truth

We believe and we know: You are God’s Holy One
You’re the bread come from heaven, we belong to you,
Lord Jesus

(John 6:68-69)

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

King in the feeding trough
You give up heaven’s splendour for the manger –
That heav’n can come to me
You say: If I’m not willing to surrender
All I am and have
Your heav’n I cannot see

Servant and God
You give Your life away for those you love
Sinners like me
Your nail marks set me free
Servant and Lord, You give to me new life
That lasts into eternity
Make Your mark on me
Make Your mark in me

King with towel, You kneel down before me
And You wash my feet – ashamed I cry: “Not me!”
You say: If You don’t wash me clean
I cannot join the kingdom feast –
Then wash me, Lord, wash me!

Servant and God…

King with cross-beam, You are wounded, beaten,
The sinless God so punished. My Lord, how can this be?
You say: If I don’t die Your death
Then I cannot rise up with You.
So take my life, take me!

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

If I flew to the stars
Roamed the universe
If I hid on the dark side of the moon you’d still be there
If I said to the night: “Lend me your cloak and hide me”
Even there you would find me, shine your light
Consume the darkness
You would call – call my name

You’d be there, everywhere
And you’d know my thoughts from far away
Every hair you count, every prayer you hear
Every breath I take – you’re there

You’re the artist who painted me
You’re the God who created me
Both my body and soul they are so marvellously made
You know every bone, like a sculptor you honed me
Like an author you choose each phrase
And write my book of life
And you call me by name

You are there, everywhere
And you know my thoughts from far away
Every hair you count, every prayer you hear
Every breath I take – you’re there

And when I walk through valleys
When death poisons my soul
Yet I will fear no evil
‘Cause you know me by name

(Psalms 139 and 23)

© 2010 Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org

The silver moon is rising
The golden stars are praising
Their maker in the skies
The woods wear dark disguises
And from the meadows rises
The mist so white as daylight dies

The solemn night is waking
And evening’s shroud is making
Our world so beautiful
Come let it wrap your sorrow
To rest until tomorrow
The night will soothe it, soft and cool

See, as the moon is growing
One half is only showing
And yet it is complete
So much is far beyond us
We do not grasp God’s wonders
Because our minds, our eyes us cheat

Presuming we are winners
We’re truly wretched sinners
And know so little here
So many lofty dreamers
Aspire to redeem us
But from the narrow path us steer

God, show us your salvation
Be our strong foundation
From vanity us keep
From pride and greed awake us
Like little children make us
With joy and with a faith so deep

And in our final hour
When withered is life’s flower
Give us a gentle death
You are the Lord who made us
When in the grave they’ve laid us
Breathe on us with eternal breath

So, rest then, friends and neighbours
Commit to God your labours
The evening breeze is cold
From danger, Lord, defend us
And peaceful sleep now send us
You are our refuge, God of old.

(German words: Matthias Claudius 1779,
English translation: Christoph Lindner,
music: J A P Schulz 1790, public domain)

© English translation: Christoph Lindner, lindnermedia.org