“Best News Ever” by MercyMe || Worship With Me #31

Welcome back to my latest music review series, “Worship with Me.” This series introduces you to new worship music that you might have heard before. I aim to connect with you through worship and build your relationship with God in ways you might not have tried.

Today’s song is “Best News Ever” by MercyMe. Like I’m sure most of you, I was introduced to this band through their hit song “I Can Only Imagine.” When I started getting more into Christian music, I found their songs like “Even If,” “Shake,” and “Happy Dance,” and I was really enthralled by their music. I haven’t followed their discography since this song’s release in 2017. I can’t put a finger on what it was that caused me to stop listening to their newer music, but I did. They share their praise and prayers through their melodies and lyrics’ different levels, tones, and energies.

In an article from Abby Carpenter, published by freeccm.org, Bart Millard (the band’s leading vocalist) says this about the song: “What if somebody…but what if they came and told me ‘hey the works already done the fights already been won you don’t have to try so hard.’ That’s what makes the Gospel not just the good news, but the best news ever.” Bart says that this song is one of his favorite messages from their album and reflects how he grew up and the teachings he received when he was younger. (Quoted and Paraphrased by this article: https://freeccm.com/2018/09/11/behind-the-song-mercyme-shares-the-story-behind-their-song-best-news-ever/)

The concept of recognizing that the battle against sin is already won through Jesus’ victory over death, hell, and the grave, and that we can find rest in this truth, is a profound one. It’s a message that, I believe, can deeply impact our faith and spiritual journey. Let’s delve into this good news through some of my favorite verses from the song.

The opening verses show us the good news from the realm of people:

Some say, “Don’t give up

And hope that your good is enough

Head down, keep on working

If you can earn it, you deserve it”

Some say, “Push on through

After all, it’s the least that you can do

But don’t buy what they’re sellin’

It couldn’t be further from the truth”

These are some of the toxic positive phrases/ideals/mindsets that people share to attempt to help us out and lift our spirits. While there’s often no ill intent behind them, they can still be challenging to hear and implement. They might even use Scripture on this point, but it doesn’t often help. Keeping our hopes up and trucking forward is not inherently wrong/evil/corrupt, but we can only hold that mindset for so long. If we instead hear that God has victory in our battles and can find rest in that, we should keep faith that God will help us recover. That shows a crazy change in mindsets. We’re not actively doing something; instead, we are following the comfort, guidance, and wisdom God is giving us.

That advice is found in the bridge here:

So won’t you come?

Come all you weary and you burdens

You heavy laden and you hurting

For all of you with nothing left

Come will find rest.

This is one of my favorite passages in Scripture. Let me share with you a different reading of it from the Message. The passage is Matthew 11:28-30 which says:

28-30   “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

I love this passage’s Message translation because it connects me. Yes, I’m tired and worn out. I got burned out by religion/church. How do I recover? Go to Jesus. Walk away from the ways of the world, and I can recover. Jesus will be able to show me a real rest. It will take some work, so I’ll follow Jesus and work with him to find the rest. I learn it by copying how he does it. It’s not forced on me. Yet, a rhythm of care, love, and compassion is found here. That’s good news to me. Nothing’ll be too heavy or demanding to do, but through Jesus, I can have companionship. I can walk through life free of stress/fear/anxiety and without the burdens that come with it. Now, this isn’t a one-time thing but a continuous process. And that process that’s freely given to us is the best news ever that any of us could receive.

I’ll be back next week with another song. Until then, stay blessed!