Ready to Go
The Spotify link for Ready to Go will be added here after the song releases this Thursday, June 18th. You can listen to this new track on your favorite music listening platform beginning June 18th.
Ready to Go is my biggest song ever in terms of percussion, with multiple big drums and rhythms joining the piano and full orchestra. This one was worthy of its scope (35 tracks in the mix) because it expresses how powerful every God Encounter has been in my life. Whether seemingly small and insignificant or obviously huge and life changing, everything about my life and your life matters to God. Neither music or words can fully convey the splendor and majesty of God’s grace, forgiveness, blessings, goodness, power, and glory.
Ezra brought worship and God’s Word to the people of God following 128 years of captivity in Babylon. He was a scholar and teacher in God partnership with Nehemiah, who worked with stones and mortar as he led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. All of life is sacred, and both of these men had a sacred purpose in fulfilling God’s purpose, just as you and I do in our lives.
In The Message Bible paraphrase, Ezra 7:28 reads, “My God was on my side and I was ready to go.” Ezra is one of the books of the Bible I had not composed a song for yet, and as I was searching for an inspirational verse this one jumped off the page. Can I say with confidence, “God is on my side, and I am ready to go?” Can you say this with conviction? The Holy Spirit stirred my heart to embrace how God is always ready to go, whether He has me waiting, walking, or running. By faith, my desire is to be in tune and aligned with His leading and pacing. When I obey, the results are in His hands.
When I saw “ready to go” I immediately thought of Joshua and Caleb who were ready to follow God’s instructions to cross the Jordan river and enter the Promised Land, regardless of the challenges and risks (Numbers 13:30). I also thought of Isaiah when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” And Isaiah was ready to go (Isaiah 6:8). The wording in The Message for these two stories includes the words “Let’s go” spoken by Joshua and Caleb, and “I’ll go” spoken by Isaiah. What a powerful trio! All these verses from Ezra, Numbers, and Isaiah are down below for reference and your reflection.
The big main theme occurs three times during the song, and gets bigger and bigger, with more instruments and more drums. The music symbolizes the powerful combination of God’s strength and guidance with our ready to go, let’s go, and I’ll go. Wow! I hope you love it!
There are two times the song rests from the big theme, to introduce the importance of worship, and pausing to be in awe of God’s holiness, majesty and glory. This “being before doing” is vital to help us hear His voice and obey. Worship energizes our doing and helps us abide in Jesus, so He can bear much fruit though our lives. For a part from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
The first worship section is longer and takes its time. We need to slow down. The French horn plays a slow melody to represent God’s presence, and is joined by a trumpet and choirs. The second worship section is smaller because as we grow in faith, our worship and our work (our ready to go) become one. The surrendered life is interwoven with times of rest and worship, as well as times of fun and hard work. The main theme and worship theme become one as the song builds toward a huge “ready to go” finish.
How does Ready to Go speak to you?
My God was on my side and I was ready to go. > Ezra 7:28 (MSG)
Caleb interrupted (the doubters, the scarcity mentality thinkers), called for silence before Moses and said, Let’s go up and take the land — now. We can do it. > Numbers 13:30 (MSG)
Holy, Holy, Holy is GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth. And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go , Send me!” > Isaiah 6:3 and 6:8 (MSG)