For a Time Like This: Hand of Kindness
A music podcast featuring “Hand of Kindness” by Bob Bennett
This week’s music podcast is our eleventh in this series that we’re producing during these days when we’re not able to gather together in the church building. This one marks a departure from the previous ones, as for the first time we’re featuring a song by an artist who is not directly connected to our church community. The use of this song, “Hand of Kindness” by Bob Bennett was inspired by the song featured in the May 28, 2020 podcast, Rob Kwade’s “A Mighty Hand”. The two songs really complement one another, and we’d encourage you to take a listen to Rob’s song if you’ve not already heard it. You can also access the links to all eleven music podcasts by clicking here
Bob Bennett does have a connection to Winnipeg, and indirectly to saint benedict’s table by virtue of his friendship with Steve Bell, Jamie Howison, and Larry Campbell, among others. His 2002 album “The View From Here” was recorded at Signpost Studio and released under the Signpost label, and over the time it took to record that album he spent many weeks in our city, playing concerts in various venues and generally getting to know what makes this city “work.” Much of that time was during the dead of winter, which was something of a bracing challenge to a musician from California!
“Hand of Kindness” is drawn from Bob’s 1997 album, Small Graces, and we’re delighted that he readily gave us permission to share the song in this way.
For more information on Bob Bennett, please take a look at his website, or visit him on Facebook.
Hand of Kindness
I've no need to be reminded
Of all my failures and my sins
For I can write my own indictment
Of who I am and who I've been
I know that grace, by definition,
Is something I can never earn
But for all the things that I may have missed
There's a lesson I believe that I have learned
There's a hand of kindness
Holding me, holding me
There's a hand of kindness
Holding me, holding onto me
Forgiveness comes in just a moment
But sometimes the consequences last
And it's hard to walk inside that mercy
When the present is so tied up to the past
In this crucible of cause and effect
I walk the wire without a net
And I wonder if I'll ever fall too far
But that day has not happened yet
And in the raven dark
There shines a distant light
It seems to point at me
It burns away the night
Familiar figure on horizon
Moving closer now I see
His heart is shining like the sun
And he is reaching out for me
With a hand of kindness
He's holding me, holding me
There's a hand of kindness
Holding me, holding onto me
Holding on ... a hand of kindness
1996 Bright Avenue Songs (ASCAP)
“I think that accomplishing some sort of ministry by playing music is a completely faulty, frail method that God still manages to use. My primary goal is to communicate truthfully with people. If I can communicate truthfully the life of the Spirit and the always-accompanying struggle along the way, then ministry happens as a natural result of that. If something deep and profound happens, I’m as amazed and grateful as anyone else!” - Bob Bennett