We’ve uploaded a new song – Safe hiding place – which voices our heart-cry to intercede for those suffering with depression and anxiety. You can download the mp3, chord sheet and the full story behind the song from our songs page.
On Monday 1 October 2012, three of us gathered for morning worship and prayer at the beginning of the second week of the Sanctuarys centre being open.
One of the headlines on www.bbc.co.uk and on our hearts that morning was the news that 1 in 10 people in the UK have been off work because of depression and anxiety.
Just between the three of us present, there were a number of names that sprung to mind of friends, family and colleagues who had, or were currently, struggling with mental health issues significantly. And some of us had suffered from mild depression in the past so we were as whenever this issue comes up very moved to pray for this issue.
That day we were also focusing on God as our Refuge. It is sometimes interesting how a particular days prayer foci from our pre-set cyclical rhythm interact with the unpredictable headlines and it was certainly true this day.
Wed spent some time writing down what refuge meant to us and how else it was expressed in names and images about God we wrote down words and phrases such as high strong tower, shadow of his wings and our friend Richard remarked on how these wings were expressed again in the outstretched arms of Christ; providing shelter for all who will come to the foot of the cross.
When we moved from praise to prayer we found these images accompanied us as we lifted a range of situations to God, but they felt particularly resonant as we prayed for God to redeem the hiding place and to reveal himself as the safest of all hiding places to those who are anxious, depressed or afraid.
It was a special moment, as if we had glimpsed something of the heart and nature of God for this situation and we knew we wanted to create something to aid further intercession for this huge issue in our nation… the result was this song which weaves in many of the images we came up with at the start of that special time.
Somehow Zephaniah 3:17 felt like it was being expressed through us in a new way.
We hope you’ll find it helpful.
It’s taken us a while to record this song as we’ve been getting used to all our new systems here at our premises – but now we’re getting our heads round them, the time between writing, recording and uploading should be faster than ever…