Matt Maher released
on his ninth full-length album, Echoes. The album was nearly complete when Maher’s world was shaken by the death of his father. It was in the depths of grief that Echoes, an album that explores the theme of human suffering, became even more personal.Jesus Freak Hideout has Maher describing the work:
“For me this is an album of a declaration responding to the dilemma of suffering,” shares Maher. “I had to formulate my own echo. I had to decide if I was going to echo the message of the cross back to the world, or my own narrow view of suffering. This album asks the question, ‘How do we echo our faith?’ It is possible to have hope and joy that is not governed by fear, and this record points to that and not a gloom, bleak picture of suffering. I want to remind people once again to believe in a God that gives us hope, joy and peace.”
He found inspiration for the song “Holy” from Isaiah 6, when Isaiah is permitted a vision of the Lord seated on a throne. A host of six-winged angels sang, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Maher was touched by Isaiah’s proclamation, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” Matt explains in an accompanying video that this passage helped him realize the error of drawing people to God by showing them their sins. Instead, he suggests, revealing “the beauty of who God is” can have a much more profoundly transformative effect.
We love that Matt makes these explanation videos. Not only is he very knowledgeable about his faith and craft, but it’s so nice to have a window into the creative process of such an acclaimed artist. He is not only a prolific musician, but also a savvy one.
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And today we celebrate...