I love learning about people’s backstories.
It’s incredible to consider how someone like Jamie Kern Lima started as an insecure waitress at Denny’s and went on to found a billion-dollar cosmetics company that cites her faith as the source of self-worth. It’s inspiring to reflect on how Joni Eareckson Tada’s life could’ve ended when she dove into a lake and became paralyzed as a teenager but instead became an award-winning painter, author, and radio host whose work impacted millions of people.
In addition to people having incredible testimonies, some of our favorite songs have such stories. One such story begins in 1859 during the middle of a great revival in Wales, United Kingdom. This revival launched missionaries across the world to spread the Gospel. Some missionaries ended up in India, where the locals did not welcome them. However, one such missionary helped lead a family to Christ, including a husband and wife and their two children. God used this family to lead others in their village to believe in Jesus.
As the story goes, the village chief called all the people together and threatened to execute the first family who came to faith unless they renounced their faith in front of the village. The husband, who had been the first to embrace the Gospel, sang his response—a song he composed on the spot.
He sang words now beloved by millions of Christians. “I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.”
This story adds incredible meaning and significance to this beloved hymn. The story also gives me a new appreciation for Elevation Rhythm’s latest song, “Goodbye Yesterday.”
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“Goodbye yesterday
I’m living in the light of a new day
I won’t waste another minute
In my old ways
Praise the Lord, I’ve been born again.”
“Goodbye Yesterday” is a bright and hope-filled song that guides listeners to the joy found in the work of Jesus in their hearts. In releasing the song, Joshua Holiday, a band member, reflected on what he hoped the song would accomplish.
“‘Goodbye Yesterday’ is our salvation anthem, full of hope and expectation for living in the light of a new day… We reimagined a familiar hymn for our bridge that feels nostalgic and energetic. The song serves as a declaration to follow Jesus. I hope you love it.”
When I think of the story behind “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” and how “Goodbye Yesterday” sampled it, two elements involved in following Jesus come to mind - joy and sacrifice.
Joy is critical to Jesus. The purpose behind his teaching about his followers abiding in Him was the discovery of joy. In John 15:11, Jesus said, “ I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
“Goodbye Yesterday” is a joy-filled song that reflects the spirit of Psalm 5:11. “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy.”
But, in addition to the joy Jesus offers, He promises that challenges lie ahead for His followers. In John 15:18-21, Jesus told his disciples that since the world first hated him, they shouldn’t expect different treatment. “Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.”
The final verse of the hymn that ELEVATION RHYTHM sampled repeats the same line: “The world behind me, the cross before me.” When that is our attitude, we embrace sacrifice as the path Jesus walked and the path we are walking. This is why Jesus said in Mark 8:34, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”
We need to keep both of these realities in mind as we follow Jesus today. Genuine joy motivates us to follow Him. However, real sacrifice is also involved, and we must remember that. New believers need to know what they will face, and seasoned believers need to remember what Jesus said in John 16 when He promised the disciples that they would have trouble in this world.
I’m grateful for the lyrics of two songs in “Goodbye Yesterday” and how they enable us to live in the tension of following Jesus. In the middle of the joy and sacrifice of following Jesus, the reminder I take away from this song—which encourages my heart today—is that Jesus is worth it all!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s newest project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
