Faith Hope Love

Unfinished business fills the first verse: "Still trying to build an empire / Still trying to be a king / Still trying to follow Jesus / Still trying to shake that sin." The repeated "still trying" puts worldly ambition and discipleship in one list, and the next lines settle the rivalry: "I can't be polishing my own crown / When I remember Yours was made of thorns."

A second verse widens the view to the end of life. "Nobody is a rich man / On the day they're laid to rest," it says, and anyone storing treasure should "make sure it's heaven kept." Between the verses, "everything returns to dust" leads into the refrain, "Faith hope love / These three things remain," the lasting trio of 1 Corinthians 13:13. The closing section quotes the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," where earthly things "will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace."

Matthew 6:19-21 on treasure in heaven and Hebrews 12:2 on fixing our eyes on Jesus round out the scripture behind the song.