NEXT

After the really important things in life (God, my church, and my family), my favorite thing is music. I love music and there are only a few genres that I strongly dislike. One of the things I appreciate about music is the opportunity it provides to convey a story or truth. Though I love the different styles of music and the artistry that musicians display, I often find myself focusing on the lyrics. I am especially happy when talented musicians and talented, biblically grounded song writers collide. There is nothing better than kickin’ music and solid theology! Today, we’re giving you such a song…for free! Yes, I said free! This song, Oil Lamp Life, is the song that plays behind our 2010 Promo Video. Caleb Murphy, graciously allowed us offer it for free.

I’ll be posting the download link below. But first, I want to introduce you to the artist/songwriter and his story…

I have never met Caleb Murphy, but those who know him best say that he is a godly young man. A young man who has a grasp on the doctrine of God and puts that knowledge to practice every day. His story brought me to tears. David, a friend of Caleb & his brother Ian, described him like this:

Caleb really embodies what this year’s [Next] conference is all about — What he believes about God really does shape the way he lives.  In 2006 Caleb’s older brother Ian was in a near fatal car accident and was left severely disabled.  Last fall, Caleb’s dad, Steve, died from brain cancer.  Caleb’s trust in Jesus has led him to serve his family and our local church in incredible ways.  Since Caleb’s dad passed away, Caleb has really stepped up to the plate as the man of the house.  In addition to this Caleb uses his musical gifts to serve our church in numerous ways.  He plays on our worship team, leads worship for the parent teen ministry and the college ministry.  In addition, he drives to the Sovereign Grace church in Altoona (45 minutes away) once a month to lead worship for them.  As sad as his dad’s sickness and death were, they didn’t shake his faith.  He has said he had learned so much about God’s character through Ian’s accident that when Steve died he didn’t have to question God’s goodness or faithfulness.

God has sustained and provided for Caleb. He has given him the grace to stand fast in difficult circumstances. And it’s clear Caleb loves his Savior! This shines forth in his music, lyrics, and life. He wrote, Oil Lamp Life, for the Next Promo Video. He explains the meaning behind the song…

It’s really [a song] about how life is hard but that we should have faith in God for the future. It’s about how we have no idea what is going to happen at any point in time, we just see what’s in front of us. I remember my dad explaining to me what the phrase “You are a lamp unto my feet” meant. He said that the oil lamps that they had back in the day only showed them their feet and a few feet in front of them. This is walking in faith, trusting that God will lead us and not worrying even though we can’t see far ahead. It’s also about being eager to see what God is going to do in our lives. It could be easy to read the lyrics and think that the song is questioning or even disagreeing with God, but the attitude I approached it with is eagerness for the future…

You can download Oil Lamp Life HERE.

To find out more about Caleb and his music, check out his website: www.calebmurphy.com