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“I Can Only Imagine” by Bart Millard (MercyMe)
I Can Only Imagine
By Bart Millard of Mercyme
CCLI Song# 2978857
Reviewed by Bethel Lee
bethel[dot]lee[at]gmail[dot]com
Theology
This contemporary Christian song touches upon a subject that philosophers and theologians have been pondering from the beginning — What happens at the end? What happens after we die? Coming from a particular Christian perspective, the lyrics express the anticipation the author feels for what he will experience one day when he finally meets Jesus face to face. The phrase “I can only imagine” is repeated throughout, giving testament to the kind of God Paul describes; one who is beyond our imagination. In Ephesians, Paul writes, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine” (3:20 NRSV). With its repeated admission of our inability to fully know everything about God and the afterlife, the song also echoes the words of Job who, after his encounter with the Holy One, humbly declares: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (42:1-3). And yet, with the repetition of “when” (and not “if”), the author communicates his assurance that he indeed will one day be with God in a very physical and intimate way. The lyrics portray that he will walk by God’s side, see God’s face before him, and be surrounded by God’s glory when he is on the other side of this life. According to About.Com the lead vocalist, Bart Millard, penned the words of the song after the death of his father to help him cope with the loss.
It is evident that the author wanted to stick closely to Scripture. In the chorus, he imagines possible responses that he may have before God in heaven by giving examples that reflect well-known biblical passages:
Chorus:
“Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine”
Related Scripture:
· “David danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14a).
· “Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking. He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me” (Ezekiel 1:28-2:2).
· “After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God’” (Revelation 19:1).
Conclusion: Not Recommended
With its soft melody and lyrics that tenderly draw out a sense of wonder, it is easy to see why this song is so popular within certain Christian circles. It’s one of those tunes that can effortlessly linger in your head. The words are soothing to hum, sing aloud, or listen to throughout your day. In a church worship setting, however, this is not a song I would recommend without reservations. I can see how “I Can Only Imagine” could help console people who have lost a loved one, and perhaps there is an appropriate context in which this song could be used for church purposes. In general, however, the lyrics are not centrally about God, but instead the song revolves around the individual and what he or she will think, feel, and do one day in heaven. Though the song does incorporate the incomprehensible nature of God, the words are foundationally about the worshiper and not about the one being worshipped. There is nothing wrong with a subjective reflection from the standpoint of the worshiper, and indeed there are times and places for this. The communal time of worship, however, may not be the best one for this particular song. [*]
“I Can Only Imagine” beautifully expresses the poetic wonder of humanity before the Creator, yet it seems too self-focused to be a song that I would recommend for a general time of worship – which should nurture our gaze off of ourselves and toward the only one who deserves all honor, glory, and praise.
[*] Though the Psalms in the Old Testament are a source for many Christian hymns, there are several I would never think appropriate for a time of worship due to their subjective use of words that praise God through arrogant speech and graphic violence against even babies (see Psalms 3:7, 17:3, 21:8-10, 137:8-9). My point being that just because something is in the Bible does not necessarily mean that it should be included in our worship.
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