There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Petra is a Christia… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Petra is a Christian Rock band formed in 1972 by Bob Hartman, Bill Glover, John DeGroff, and Greg Hough. "Petra" means "rock" in NT Greek, making the band name a triple pun. Rising from the Jesus music movement, and initially signed to [recordlabel]Myrrh Records[/recordlabel], they fought to gain acceptance and recognition in a church culture that at the time believed rock music to be off-limits. Over time they eventually won over most of their critics, thanks to a steady approach and some solid adult contemporary airplay hits like "The Coloring Song," outside of their usual rock fare. By the mid-80's, when lead singer Greg X. Volz left the band and was replaced by John Schlitt, Petra had solidified their place as the foremost Christian rock band in the industry with a string of hit albums and singles and strong touring. The release of Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out marked a turn towards modern-sounding worship music that would soon explode into the modern worship movement.

Petra was nominated for and won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In 1991, after the release of their acclaimed Beyond Belief record, Petra became the first rock band ever to win for Group of the Year at the Dove Awards. They were also the first Christian rock band to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

For three decades Petra continued to produce albums despite changes in their line-up as well as the genre and market. On May 24th, 2005 Petra announced their retirement after 33 years of ministry. They recorded one of their final performances in Franklin, Tennessee to release it as their last album, Farewell. Their last performance finished in the early hours of January 1, 2006 in Murphy, North Carolina. Bob Hartman and John Schlitt continue to tour under the moniker II Guys From Petra.

Lineups through the years:
Early 80's Captured in Time & Space lineup: Bob Hartman, Greg X. Volz, John Slick, Mark Kelly, Louie Weaver, John Lawry

Late 80's "Beyond Belief dream team" lineup: Bob Hartman, John Schlitt, John Lawry, Louie Weaver, Ronny Cates

Late 90's Petra Praise 2 - We Need Jesus lineup: John Schlitt, Louie Weaver, Lonnie Chapin, Pete Orta, Kevin Brandow

Farewell CD lineup: John Schlitt, Bob Hartman, Greg Bailey, Paul Simmons, with special appearances by Greg X. Volz and John Lawry

More members: Rob Frazier, Jim Cooper, David Lichens, Trent Thomason, Bryce Bell, Quinton Gibson, Justin Johnson

See also http://www.petraband.com/

A Matter Of Time
Petra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do you ever think about the ways you're getting older?
You sit around and realize your heart is colder
There'll come a time you'll think your youth is almost over
Where did it go, you'll never know so you'll just wonder

Did you ever want to turn the hands of time back to your
Childhood?
Back to the time you had it made, you had it so good

What would it take to see mistakes before they happen?
What would you do with all the choices that you made then?

It's just a matter of time
It'll all be over (And it makes you wonder)
It's just a matter of time
Better think about it (How did it go so fast?)
It's just a matter of time
You know you're gettin' older
It's just a matter of time

You sit around, you're all alone, the party's over
You think about it all again, your thoughts are sober
You waste away another day and then it happens
You're old and gray, you dream away about your past sins

God has a plan worth listening to

Not built on sand that is sifting through
It's not too late for redeeming the time

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Petra's song A Matter Of Time are contemplative and reflective of the inevitability of aging and the passage of time. The song opens with a question that invites introspection: "Do you ever think about the ways you're getting older?" The singer acknowledges how age is affecting their emotions, making their heart feel colder. They then illustrate how this realization will one day come to us all, that no matter how much we try to hold on to youth, inevitably it will slip away unnoticed, making us wonder where it all went. The second verse posits the idea of going back in time to childhood, a time that seemed idyllic and free of mistakes, and questions whether we would make different choices if given the opportunity.

The chorus is the song's thematic centerpiece, highlighting the importance of facing the reality of aging and making the most of our time. The repetition of "it's just a matter of time" serves as a reminder that life is fleeting, and we must make the most of every moment before it's over. The song concludes with a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of turning to God and his plan for our lives, rather than relying on our own flawed and finite understanding of time.

Line by Line Meaning

Do you ever think about the ways you're getting older?
Have you ever taken a moment to ponder and reflect on the ways in which you are aging?

You sit around and realize your heart is colder
You find that you have become more distant and indifferent towards things as you have gotten older

There'll come a time you'll think your youth is almost over
At some point, you will acknowledge that your youthful years are coming to an end

Where did it go, you'll never know so you'll just wonder
Although unsure, you will continue to question where your youth has gone

Did you ever want to turn the hands of time back to your Childhood?
Have you ever wished to go back to your youthful years?

Back to the time you had it made, you had it so good
To the time where everything was easy and you had no worries

What would it take to see mistakes before they happen?
What would be necessary to foresee and avoid mistakes before they occur?

What would you do with all the choices that you made then?
What would you have done differently, had you known the consequences of your actions?

It's just a matter of time
The passage of time is inevitable

It'll all be over (And it makes you wonder)
Life as we know it will eventually come to an end, which can be a thought-provoking realization

Better think about it (How did it go so fast?)
It may be wise to reflect on how quickly time seems to have passed

You know you're gettin' older
It is apparent that you are aging

You sit around, you're all alone, the party's over
You are now alone and left with nothing, having wasted your youth pursuing things that are not meaningful

You think about it all again, your thoughts are sober
Upon reflection, you realize the emptiness of your pursuits and become more serious in your thinking

You waste away another day and then it happens
You continue to waste your time until you finally reach old age

You're old and gray, you dream away about your past sins
When you are old and gray, you will be haunted by the mistakes and regrets of your youth

God has a plan worth listening to
God has a plan that should be taken seriously

Not built on sand that is sifting through
It is not a plan that will crumble or fade away over time

It's not too late for redeeming the time
There is still time to make up for lost opportunities and redeem lost time

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SARAH JEAN KELLY, ADRIAN DOMINIC WALTHER, JEREMY HUNTER, MICHAEL J. PAYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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