MercyMe Cd Review Hurt and the Healer

Crafted Anointed Musicianship

     What can be said about a group whose musical reputation speaks for it self? Claiming eight Dove-Award victories and four certified gold albums MercyMe continues surpassing themselves with the spectacular seventh studio album, “The Hurt and The Healer”. Selling over 33,000 copies the first week it was released at the end of May 2012, it appears they are on track to another victory.

     The recording took place in Asheville, North Carolina where lyrically it appears these musicians have it all figured out. However, lead vocalist Bart Millard said they often sing about “where they want to be”. The journey they have been on personally and as a whole has left them with some of the same questions and hurts that many face. Millard says “This album is meant to remind people that their identity is in Christ, not in their guilt or shame.”

     As a devoted fan of MercyMe, I can attest to the fact that producers Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala definitely delivered a new quality on this album. I have a tendency to pick and choose certain favorites off albums that I review while the other selections tend to fall by the wayside. However, this album is an exception to my usual rule. Each song for more than one reason carries it’s own torch and delivers a strategic moment of listening pleasure in perfect harmony with purpose and emotion.

     One thing I would like to share is how God’s perfect timing placed The Hurt and The Healer in my possession to review it at the precise moment He knew I should have it. I had recently been listening to Save my Life by MercyMe’s musical cousin SideWalk Prophets and had been led to speak to the girl at Starbucks the previous day when she had mentioned her grandfather was not doing well. I asked his name, where he was staying and wrote down some scripture for her to take to him. That week, when Friday rolled around I was heading out to go visit her grandfather. I opened my mailbox and saw the package with The Hurt and The Healer inside.

     I usually review CD’s before they are released. However, this one arrived after it had been on the market over a month. I opened it and figured I would listen to it on the way to see her grandfather. My navigation system was not working and I could not for the life of me find the place where she said he was. I turned around three times and still had no luck. Finally I decided to head home, being frustrated and unable to find the place he was staying. Next thing you know track six began to play.

     “You can turn around and walk away. Tell yourself there’s nothing here to see. Tried so hard to look the other way, as if you haven’t noticed anything. You do it to the least of these, you do it to me. You got to take the time.”

     I turned my car around immediately and went back to find the place one last time. Finally after arriving I went in and entered her Grandfathers room. He looked up at me pointed to the scripture he had pinned to his wall that I had given her and said, “I was hoping you would come today, I would like to offer up a prayer.” What was so amazing about this for me personally was he had never met me before.  Yet as soon as I arrived he knew I was the one that had given his granddaughter that scripture. 

     That day an eighty-nine year old man rededicated his life to Christ and all I had to do was take the time and go. I was the witness he was waiting for. He passed on to be with the Lord two days later. That song, Take the Time ministered to me and that man is now in the presence of his Lord and Savior. Thanks to the awesome message MercyMe shares on this album with Needtobreathe’s, Bear Rinehart. 

     Praise God the angels were rejoicing that day. If we would all be present and take the time so many others would also be led to that place of relationship with our loving Savoir. Awesome thing God had already readied his heart, he was just waiting on a witness to arrive.  If it had not been for God placing that CD in my mailbox right at that precise moment, who knows what the outcome would have been, but that is one of the best memories I have ever had and will cherish till we meet again.

     There is one song on this album that I have a hard time with simply because every time it comes on the only thing I hear is “Shake it up, dance all night ooh ooh” by the cars. That is until it gets to the chorus of the song. For those of you who grew up in the eighties I am certain when you hear The Best of Me begin playing you will probably have the same problem. I don’t want to convey this is not a good song, because it truly has a great message and melody, my mind just reverts to the eighties era momentarily. However, the best of me displays the desire that God wants all of us, not just some of us. This growing process can sometimes get in the way of our place in the Kingdom of God if we hold on to things He wants us to let go of and give to Him.

     You Know Better, is another similar message of the intentions that God has our best in mind. What we fail to realize at times is that once we truly surrender everything over to Him it is then our lives produce fruit and begin to blossom.

You Don’t Care At All is definitely the most unexpected number on the album. Similar to the rockier combinations by contemporary artists like Casting Crowns this delivers a delight to the album with a message that Christ truly doesn’t care about our past mistakes that He focuses on our potential in Him. “All of my yesterdays, all of my past mistakes, you’ve thrown them all away. You don’t care at all.”

     There are three major viewpoints that they focus on throughout the album in different perspectives. One is how we look at ourselves, the other is how God sees us and the last is how we see others. To Whom It May Concern is an up tempo plea to those who kick others while they are down to realize we all fall and it’s best to help lift each other back up than to throw stones. Lyrically speaking the whole album is fantastic.  

Melodically each number has it’s own addictive twist and this number will definitely have you moving right along through the final note at the end. “Redeemed, and believe that wherever you go, don’t matter how high don’t matter how low it comes down to being found in who you know, oh oh you know oh oh.”

     Don’t Give Up On Me is a representation of the struggle many of us face when we feel like we continually fail God. Lyrically questioning why He has so much patience for us to turn to Him, “You reach for me when it’s undeserved, wish I could see what you see in me.” With a response from the spirit of God in the song verifying His grace is near.

     The Bible clearly states that there are different stages of grace that we go from faith to faith. The First Time is a beautiful love song demonstrating a new moment experienced in the love of Christ. A feeling experienced differently in His mercies new every morning. Sometimes those moments awaken a new dawn in our spirits and create new passions felt for the first time.

     You Are I Am, covers just about every angle of our journey with God through a masterful combination musically and lyrically with the ending result of knowing He is I am and He is alive in us.

     The first time I heard the title track The Hurt and the Healer single on the radio I cried. I connected on such a deep level with the lyrics to this song for personal reasons that I have to share my testimony in part.

      For five years I struggled with a brain tumor that was inoperable. Blindness was a side effect if it continued to grow. I was hospitalized many times for migraine auras and given a lot of pain medicine because of where the tumor was. After believing in faith I went in for a routine MRI and the doctor came with results saying, “I don’t know where it came from or where it went but it’s gone.” About a year ago I went in for an eye exam, and the doctor asked, “Did you used to have a tumor?” I hesitated at first as the devil tried to awaken fear in me, then I responded, “Yes, I used to.” She said “I can tell, I can see the scar tissue where it used to be.”

     You see I was hurt and the Healer of all collided with me and cut that tumor out Him self to the point the scar tissue remains though no man touched it. You see, just as Millard sings in The Hurt and The Healer there is a part of us that dies with pain. There is a part of us at times that hurts so bad we cannot seem to find the hope in ourselves to believe there is a greater purpose or reason for what we face. However, the lyrical demonstration of faith that is delivered through this glorious song reminds us, one day we will understand it all. 

     “It’s the moment when humanity is overcome by majesty, when grace is ushered in for good and all our scars are understood. When mercy takes it’s rightful place and all our questions fade away. When out of weakness we must bow and hear you say it’s over now. I’m alive even though a part of me has died. You take this heart and breathe it back to life. When the hurt and the healer collide.”

     There is one last song that I have yet to mention and it is Hold On. This song generates anticipation awaiting something greater. No matter how good the good times are here on earth, they cannot compare to the glory which shall be revealed in us on that day when we are united with our Father in Heaven. Hold on friends not only to the moments that mean so much in your lives, but the people and times that God places individuals in your path for you to make a difference in their lives.

     "The sweetest sound yet to be heard. Still you know you want to hear it more. Oh we long, long to return to a home we’ve never seen before.”

     Respectfully to this album Millard denotes that “Sin is powerless and can’t remove us from the hands of God.” In the end it is only our own lack of tenacity in the will of the Father that can remove us from His grace. So I will hold on to the promises of His word believing He has Mercy not only on me, but all of us because He is the master healer.

     Glory awaits those who purchase this album and allow themselves to grasp a hold of the blessings held in each brilliantly authored message and crafted musicianship.

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