Hymns: Graves into Gardens

In this series, I take a brief look at very modern worship songs. My preferred hymns are generally the old ones or the new choruses that I remember from my early years as a new believer, back in the 1980’s. I’ve only recently become familiar with 21st Century songs. I like to be positive, but honest too. I can sometimes find little things that puzzle or trouble me, but when I worship, the big thing for me is engaging with God. The specifics of the lyrics aren’t that important. Some people say that people learn their doctrine from their hymns, so if I were writing a hymn, I would be careful to align it with Scriptures. But hymns, like poetry, can use analogies that mightn’t be scriptural, but we know what they’re trying to say nonetheless.

Graves Into Gardens is a 2020 worship anthem by Elevation Worship featuring Brandon Lake.

The title is interesting. I actually like walking around cemeteries. They can be quite similar to gardens. But we know what he means. God brings life out of death.

You can see the lyrics in the video or at bethelmusic.com.

Ultimately, we’ll see this in the future when the whole universe will become new, with no more death, grief, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). And we see it when someone comes to Christ. This is emphasized in Ephesians 2:

Eph 2:2-7
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

The main chorus says, “There’s nothing better than you“. It’s not very poetic, but it’s the straightforward, everyday language that we all use. Singing old hymns such as “He Who Would Valiant Be” can feel more “holy” or “sacred”, but I think that there’s a place for both.

I particularly like this verse:

I'm not afraid
To show You my weakness
My failures and flaws
Lord, You've seen 'em all
And You still call me friend

I think of the night before Jesus died, when Jesus knew that his disciples would all desert him, and Peter would deny him. It was no surprise to him. Yet he still sought to comfort them.

John 14:1-3
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 

When we are disappointed with ourselves, we should know that God see’s much more flaws in us than we ourselves see. Yet, if we have repented and trusted in Jesus, we belong to him, in the way that an adopted child belongs to a new family. There will be times when parents need to discipline their children, but who’d send an adopted child back to an orphanage? Doubtless, that sort of thing has probably happened, but God never lets go of us.

Graves into Gardens sounds like the testimony of one man. When we sing it, it might not directly relate to everyone’s experience.

I searched the world
But it couldn't fill me
Man's empty praise
And treasures that fade
Are never enough

Then You came along
And put me back together
And every desire
Is now satisfied
Here in Your love (hey)

Some people come to Christ after a long period of searching. And some might even have had very broken lives. Others might be brought up in Christian homes. But even then, they might go through a period where they put God out of the picture and seek satisfaction in other things. Some come to Christ at a young age. For others, it might take much longer. I think of two older hymns that touch on similar themes.

One line from Abide with Me particularly resonates with me nowadays:

“Change and decay all around I see, Oh thou who changest not, abide with me.”

Getting back to Graves into Gardens, what does he mean by “And every desire, Is now satisfied”? You often get lines like these in hymns. I suppose they’re aspirational. I think of the hymn “God of Mercy and Compassion” and the line “Never will I sin again.” Oh yes you will! Or “At the Cross” and the line “And now I am happy all the day” 😀. Maybe it just means that he is happy to be a believer. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll always be in a good mood.

When I speak to non-believers, I am always careful not to promise that becoming a Christian will solve all your earthly problems. Some do experience solutions. But our motive in coming to Christ should be deep sorrow for sin and a desire to trust in him for salvation and put our life in his hands. When the Apostle Paul became a Christian, he was initially sent to Ananias. Here is what God said to Ananias:

Acts 16:15-16
¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

So, for Paul, life in this world would become more difficult. But the key thing is where you’ll be in the next world.

And despite Paul’s suffering, I’m sure he derived great satisfaction out of being of such use to God. Even at an earthly level, all the great sports stars, musicians, and inventors go through tough times to benefit us all.

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can

I’ll close with two hymns that reference Beauty for Ashes. This illustrates how things have changed in worship music. The one on the left is from 1977. The one on the right is recent. I like them all – at least I try to 😀.