1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 - Still Green Against The Stone | Funeral Doom Dirge

1 Thessalonians 3:1-8 (NIV) "So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our efforts might have been useless. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have... (Read the full passage at BibleGateway.com)" There are seasons when you pour everything into someone and then the silence comes, and you have no idea if anything took root. Paul knew that silence. He knew what it felt like to wonder if the work was wasted, if the enemy had gotten there first. But when the news finally came back that they were still standing, still believing, still loving, he said something remarkable. He said that now he really lived. Their faith was his breath. And if you have ever waited on that kind of news, you know exactly what he meant. Crushing. Sorrowful. Patient. Relieved. Resolute. Perfect for waiting in silence after investing in someone's faith, pastors and parents carrying quiet fear for those they sent out, receiving the news that someone you love is still standing. ---------------------------------------- LYRICS [Intro - distant church organ alone, 8 bars, then the first crushing chord] [Verse 1] I sent him because I could not bear it the silence pressed like stone on stone I did not know if you were standing or if the tempter claimed what I had sown he came to find you in that rocky ground a cutting left where the cold comes down [Instrumental - slow crushing riff, 16 bars, organ fades in beneath distortion] [Chorus] are you still green against the stone are your roots still pressed and holding I cannot breathe until I know are you still there [Instrumental - mournful lead melody over funeral dirge, 16 bars, space between every note] [Verse 2] I named the fear, I will not hide it he wanted all of this to come to nothing to take the ground we bled to give you and leave me with an empty offering [Instrumental - long decay, single notes on guitar, organ swells, 20 bars of near silence] [Chorus] are you still green against the stone are your roots still pressed and holding I cannot breathe until I know are you still there [Bridge] then word came through the door like water you are standing, you have not let go and something in me breathed again your faith became the air inside my chest [Chorus] are you still green against the stone are your roots still pressed and holding I cannot breathe until I know are you still there [Outro - death growl beneath clean vocal, both fading] still holding still holding you are still there [Outro - organ alone, slow decay, full silence] ---------------------------------------- STAY CONNECTED Comment "STILL STANDING" if you have been silently waiting and wondering if the person you poured into is still holding on to their faith Send this to the pastor, mentor, or parent who has been quietly carrying the weight of someone else's faith in the dark. Subscribe for daily scripture-based Christian Metal music. ---------------------------------------- TAGS 1 Thessalonians 3, 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8, Thessalonians Bible verse, New Testament, Christian metal, funeral doom metal, Christian doom metal, Christian heavy metal, slow heavy metal, downtuned guitar, 48 BPM metal, B minor metal Category: Music Genre: Christian Metal Style: funeral doom metal, extremely slow tempo, crushing downtuned riffs, cavernous re Theme: Perseverance, Pastoral Care, Mutual Encouragement, Spiritual Vitality Tempo: 48 bpm | Key: B minor