A Stranger to Your Holiness

Below are the lyrics to a CCM song that I listened to over and over, circa 1982-83. The album is Steve Camp‘s, “Shake Me to Wake Me“, and there are several songs of reasonable significance on it.  Unfortunately, I no longer have a copy, if you should find one, I’d be happy to take it off your hands.  You’d make this “Jesus Freak” a happy man. Even if you can’t do YouTube, I encourage you to read these lyrics as if it were a poem.

Lyrics to “Stranger To Your  Holiness,”  by Steve Camp

Looks like the boy’s in trouble again
Living much too close to the edge of sin
Now he finds himself where he should not have been
Oh God, why is Your peace so hard to find
And the answer to the questions that haunt my mind
Oh Lord, Your ways are not like mine
And it pounds like thunder within in my breast
All the anger of my humanness
And though I call You “Lord” I must confess
I’m a stranger to Your holiness, a stranger to Your holiness
Can we really be what we were meant to be
Jesus’ people, living by the Spirit and living free
My heart longs to serve, but wanders so aimlessly
Oh Lord You deserve every part of me
Hear my cry of desperation as I see the wickedness of my ways
You alone are my salvation, and Lord I’ve learned this one thing to be true
Is that the closer I get to You, I see I’m a stranger (to Your holiness)
Don’t wanna be no stranger, and it burns like a fire…

As I follow Jesus as His simple disciple, I’m very aware of the issues that tangle me. It is like a net that drops and I get quite caught in it. But we really are asked to shake these things off. In 35 years of following Him, I find my personal sin is more clear to me then ever as I follow Him. “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.” Lord hold me close as you continue to deal with me.

“Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.”

Hebrews 12:1-2, CEV

Mr. Camp reaches into places that the average Christian musician misses, and communicates relevance to all those who seek His face.  This particular song has a lyrical integrity and sensitivity that makes it stellar.  As I ponder the words I find myself with someone who understands me and my issues.  I hope this blesses.

bry-signat (2)

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Author: Pastor Bryan Lowe

A repentant rascal with definite issues, but who is seeking to be authentic in his faith to Jesus Christ. An avid reader and a hopeful writer. Husband and father. A pastor and Bible teacher. A brain tumor survivor. Diagnosed with clinical depression, and now disabled. Enjoys life, such as it is, in Alask.a (Actually I have it pretty good.)

3 thoughts on “A Stranger to Your Holiness”

  1. “…I find my personal sin is more clear to me then ever as I follow Him….”

    I truly believe that anyone whose desire is to be drawn close to God, will feel this way. As the ‘light’ gets brighter, it exposes more of what’s in the ‘darkness’. It’s disheartening, and Satan, the “accuser of the brethren” takes that, and uses it against the child of God, causing guilt and shame and discouragement to be amplified.

    The lyrics of this song brings to mind several Scriptures. The first concerning Isaiah, a PROPHET OF GOD (!), when confronted with God’s “Holiness”, fell on his face, in repentance, crying out “WOE IS ME!”. A true Christian, I believe, can/will be faced with that on a regular basis, as we, in our ‘flesh’ can never measure up to His Holiness.

    “Isa_6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. ”

    also, it is stated in Scripture;
    ‘all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God’
    ‘there is NONE ‘good’, no not one’
    Jesus, speaking to the rich young ruler said “Why do you call me “good”, only God is ‘good'”
    The apostle Paul stated “..in this flesh dwells NO good thing”.

    If we are contented, ‘at peace’ with ourselves, and believe we ‘have the whole loaf’, so to speak, we are the ones that are either Spiritually ‘numb’, or, just plain lost. God have Mercy on us! Give us revelation of your Holiness, and an even more fervent desire, by your Grace, to please you, being aware, however, that ‘when we fail, we have an advocate (Christ Jesus!) with the Father’.

    There IS a ‘way to walk’, and it is found in Scripture from Genesis, in the garden, and is spoken of throughout the history of Israel, minor/major prophets, Psalms/Proverbs and the rest of the Old Testament. It is continued in the New Testament in the Teachings of Jesus, Himself, and every book/letter written by the Apostles, through the end of Revelation. There IS a walk of “Obedience”, and it takes the Grace of God to perform it in us, as we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, moment by moment through the day.

    ” Col_3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; ”
    “Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

    A good bit of news, though…
    “Rom_8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

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