I've been listening to a lot of my old Petra music the last few days, and I've been struck by how good much of the theology in their music is.

Petra and C.S. Lewis were my primary disciplers when I was in high school. And although it would have been much better to have had a real live person teaching me to live out the Gospel (and might have saved me from a lot of pain during college), it wasn't a bad foundation at all.

Admittedly, listening to Petra again at the same time I'm going through a Mike Bickle series on the Life of David probably added a great deal to the significance of the music for me, but you can't ignore the fact that when Bob Hartman wrote these lyrics back in the 80's, he was thinking well and pulling them straight out of the Bible.

This song had me almost in tears as I was driving to work this morning, thinking about how badly I need to grow in meekness; being free from both the fear of man and the love of man's approval.

Godpleaser, by Bob Hartman (from Not of This World)

So many voices telling me which way to go

So many choices come from those who think they know

There's a way that seems right to a man, but it only brings him death

I wanna go the way that leads to life till I draw my dying breath

Don't wanna be a manpleaser

I wanna be a Godpleaser

I just want to have the wisdom to discern the two apart

Don't wanna be a manpleaer

I wanna be a Godpleaser

I just want to do the things that please the Father's heart

Some make a sacrifice and never let it show

Some make a point of letting everybody know

Some will live their lives as unto men, and they have their reward

I just wanna do everything I do with all my heart unto the Lord

I just want my life to glorify His Son

To make my Father proud that I'm His child before I'm done

No need to pat me on the back or stop to shake my hand

I just want to hear my Father say, "well done", "well done"

I just want to hear my Father say, "well done"