“He knows my name

He knows my every thought

He hears each tear that falls

And hears me when I call”

Not Forgotten Medley, Israel & New Breed ‘Live in South Africa’

At work and listening to one of my favourite albums of all time, this Israel & New Breed Album. Bruh, I am having a full church service with myself here. Amen somebaday!

I think this album always moves me because it found me at such a weird time in my life. I had lost my younger sister a couple of months before and was in first year of university in the midst of all the headiness of being young, gifted and free in the hedonistic city of London. I had already committed myself to being atheist, because how do you trust a God that cannot control something as vital as keeping your loved ones alive?! How do you go into His presence with anything but accusation and anger? How do you find your way back to this Father you’re supposed to trust as a loving and good parent? I was so restless. I felt so forgotten, so unseen by this God I had trusted and loved. I thought He must have somehow in the midst of the 7 billion other people forgotten me, to allow such a horrid, horrid thing befall me.

Then I heard Israel speak on a crowded bus, as I commuted home and my iPod shuffled to this album. He sang slowly:

“I am not forgotten.”

Repeated it.

“I am not forgotten.”

“I. Am.Not. Forgotten…God knows my name.”

Whoosh.

It was a call to return, man. A reminder that like Haggai said, “I have now seen the God who sees me.” And little by little that thought began to build my faith and bolster my confidence that things will make sense and that God is no less in control because something bad has happened to me.

I love live Christian albums because the emotions are so raw and real. No matter how orchestrated the choir on stage is, there is one migrant soul ‘in the Spirit’, sure to shout a random “JESUS!” at the oddest times! Lol. And I am here. For. It. Half the time, I am the random soul that does that shout and I am so delighted it matches the rebel on the song! Feels like I met my spiritual kindred spirit. Lol.

I love this Israel album, especially as it gets closer to the end. You can just tell when they move from pure scripted concert…to worship. At some point, it sounds like it’s just ad libs! I remember this from my choir days. You have sorted out a song in practice but you get on stage, God takes over and you just flow with it. And that’s what some of the songs on this album sound like.

“I’m not a man, I cannot lie. I know the plans I have for you. You’re my design. So im asking you just to hope again and trust again…then tske the limits off of me.”

-Take the Limits Off

God.

It humbles and quiets me so much. I swear.

Then they go into:

“Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place (*and it’s crazy because you can feel IT wherever you are listening to this!!!)

Surely you won’t forsake the ones who seek your face.”

Ok y’all, just kill me now!

 “The Lord is in your midst, He is mighty to save and mighty to deliver! He will rejoice over you with singing.”

– Zephaniah 3:16