Contestant Megan Danielle recently earned a spot in the Top 8 of Season 21 of the popular ABC show “American Idol.”
Singing to earn the spot, Danielle, who has been open about her Christian faith on the show, sang country music star Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”
Danielle almost didn’t sing the song, worried that she wouldn’t be able to make it through without crying. The last time she sang the song was at her grandfather’s funeral.
Here are the first two refrains of the song:
I know your life
On earth was troubled
And only you could know the pain
You weren’t afraid to face the devil
You were no stranger to the rain
Go rest high on that mountain
Son your work on earth is done
Go to heaven a-shoutin’
Love for the Father and the Son
Gill initially started writing the song after country music singer Keith Whitley died at age 34 of alcoholism in 1989. He only finished the song in 1994, after his brother died of a heart attack the year prior.
You can watch Danielle’s performance here:
Following Danielle’s moving rendition, one of the three American Idol judges – country music star Luke Bryan – complimented her performance as “unbelievable” and praised her bold witness.
“What I love about you is … you’re never scared to tell everybody your faith,” Bryan told her.
He added, “When I thought about that song, I … just felt in my heart that I couldn’t pick a better one than that for you.”
For that round of the competition, the judges chose three songs for each contestant – which each judge picking a song – and then each contestant chose between one of the three to perform.
The week before, Danielle sang “Thank God I Do,” originally performed by another “American Idol” star: Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle.
Danielle also sang the song when she first auditioned for “American Idol” several months ago in Las Vegas, Nevada. To her surprise, Daigle – who was holding a concert in Vegas – joined her halfway through her audition and sang with her.
We should praise Danielle’s courage and conviction and ponder whether we too are being a witness to those around us, perhaps not by our singing, but by our character, words, and actions.
According to Nielsen’s television ratings, over 5.4 million people watched Idol’s most recent episode.
Jesus taught in Matthew 10:32,
Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.
And after Christ’s resurrection, He promised His disciples that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would empower them to be His witnesses. In Acts 1:8, Luke records Jesus as saying,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Little did the disciples know that one day, that “witness” would be broadcast to millions of people via one young woman’s bold song choice on “American Idol.”
It’s always heartening to see people of Christian faith be willing to share their convictions, especially when millions of people are watching.
In what ways do you try to demonstrate your faith to those in your sphere of influence?
Related articles and resources:
‘He Has a Gift,’ American Idol Winner Noah Thompson’s Victory Proves Power of Friendship
Photo from YouTube.
