We've all heard it before...you find out how strong you are through the battles of life...or in Christian circles, how we rely fully on God and that it's His strength that gets us through, something that, looking back on my life I fully believe.
It's easy though in amongst the struggles of life to become a victim of them...sometimes we let the things we go through define us...there's such power to me in that last line of the lyric: I'll know my name as it's called again...the thing is, we aren't defined by our circumstances. We are defined by the Father's love, defined as beloved, chosen. So we sometimes do have to change our ways, align our thinking with His and listen to His still small voice that calls us to Him saying rest in me, I love you.
This morning I was on a walk, and I found myself just talking with God, mostly just thanking Him for the nature around me and good friends, that kind of thing. My mind was going all over the place and I just thought in passing how I hadn't gotten any God revelations in a song for some time. I found myself not even consciously praying but saying something more like: God, I'd really love for you to reveal something in a song to me again.
So fifteen minutes later I'm driving home and this song Broken Crown comes on. Disclaimer, there is swearing. I've been chewing on this song for probably two years at least. I've had some thoughts but nothing cohesive but a thought here and there and nothing I could tell my full thoughts on. So just after this passing thought prayer as I'm listening all of a sudden all the scattered thoughts I've had about this song came together. There's a lesson in that. Some might say it's silly to ask God to speak to you through a song. But the thing is, I love music. And I serve a God who loves me and who delights in me and who gives good gifts. Because He knows music means a lot to me, He continues to meet me there. And it didn't take a proper religious prayer. I just talked to Him, like I would any of my earthly friends and said something in passing and like any good friend that cares, He went out of His way to do something He knew would bring me joy.
So here's the interpretation of the song...two years in the making, brought by a God that hears even the passing prayer.
Touch my mouth And hold my tongue I'll never be your chosen one I'll be home, safely tucked away Well you can't tempt me if I don't see the day
MY THOUGHTS: 'Trying to resist temptation'
The pull on my flesh was just too strong
It stifled the choice and the air in my lungs Better not to breathe than to breathe a lie 'Cause when I open my body, I breathe a lie
MY THOUGHTS: 'Giving into temptation'
I will not speak of your sin There was a way out for him The mirror shows not Your values are all shot
MY THOUGHTS: 'There's a way out but he can't see it. He feels all the values he held up to this point are shot because of his sin.'
But oh, my heart was flawed I knew my weakness So hold my hand Consign me not to darkness
MY THOUGHTS: 'Here he's admitting he knew he was weak and asking to not be given up on. I hear a cry for grace and not just saying, oh well, he's sinned I'll leave you to your sin, there's no hope for you.
So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down I'll never wear your broken crown I took the road and I fucked it all the way Now in this twilight, how dare you speak of grace
MY THOUGHTS: 'So true grace wasn't extended. The person washed their hands of them so to speak earlier on and then comes and tries to extend grace. I see this as: I won't walk with you through this issue. I won't meet you where you are, I won't invest in you but I'll TELL you about grace, but it's just words I won't walk in grace WITH you.
So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down I'll never wear your broken crown I can take the road and I can fuck it all the way But in this twilight, our choices seal our fate
MY THOUGHTS: 'Now they have to both deal with the choices they've made'.
TAKE AWAY:
God is a God of Grace, and therefore we should desire to be people of grace. Grace isn't coming in and saying you've done wrong, and saying grace be with you. Grace often is messy, it's walking with people through their crap. It's being a friend when it's maybe not easy to be. It's being a shoulder to cry on. It's walking alongside and being real with each other, but also loving each other. Saying, ya I know you've messed up, but I'm here. I love you, I'm here to listen, I'm here to try to help you figure this out. That's the kind of grace that the world needs.
These lyrics are so beautiful to me. When you think of branding it's a pretty serious thing, pretty painful, pretty permanent. To me this is a deep prayer. Brand YOUR love on MY mind so I don't forget it...even when my eyes wander from you, let YOUR love shine and in Your love I can have faith for everything else. Your love gives me hope to have faith, to go on.
Later the song goes on to say:
And in the valley I am free
But in the hills I soar
Valley's are often spoken as hard times in life...so when we have His love 'branded' on our minds (and on our hearts), His love lets us know that despite the circumstances we are in, we are free. This is our identity in Christ, our circumstances don't define us, His love does.
So whether I am free in the valley or soaring in the hills I want His love branded on my mind and to live in the assurance that His Love endures no matter what. What a great place to live.
I can't help but think of this scripture: For in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28.
You can understand dependence when you know the Maker's Hand
....dependence? No one really speaks about dependence. It's pretty much a dirty word now isn't it? But when you come to a place of understanding God, of realizing your need for Him to walk alongside you, not in a demanding, domineering way but gently guiding you along like a loving Father and begin to understand His love and His gentleness you come to a place where doing life on your own is so unappealing.
Being dependent is frowned upon in todays society, but the thing is aren't we all dependent to a degree? Dependent on our success in our career, being the perfect Pinterest mother, dependent on coffee to get us through the day and dependent on wine to end a tough day. We all have things or people we are dependent on. I'll gladly depend on the One who established the world by His Wisdom, ( Jeremiah 51:15). The One who delights in me, (Psalm 18:19). Who rejoices over me with singing, (Zephaniah 3:17).
Yesterday I was listening to Bear's Den...no surprise there, they've been getting a lot of airplay and have slowly become my favourite band other than Mumford and Sons. It was a slow love with these guys, I didn't even remotely like them till the third try, so the fact that they've raised to equal level with Mumford is a pretty big deal.
So, moving on, I'm doing some cleaning in the kitchen yesterday and the song Love Can't Stand Alone comes on...which within the context of the song and whatever the writer is going through is probably true but I always like to listen through a God lens so the statement through that lens makes no sense. Anyhow, I'm listening and working and this lyric jumps out at me:
I'll never leave you out in the cold....
and then clear as day I heard God speak to me in my spirit, here's what He said....
My child, I will never leave you or forsake you, there's no place you can go that My Love can't reach, I will never, EVER abandon you my beloved. MY LOVE and it alone will stand and endure forever.
Wow! A message I can cling to, and a message for you as well.
I love art. I love creating. It's something I'm passionate about. Passion. It's kind of a big deal to me. Passion and authenticity. These are themes of my life lately. I'm known for my passions. Some call it obsessions, but I'll go with passion, it sounds nicer. Like I said, I'm passionate about art. It's my belief that God is the greatest Artist there is and that He puts creativity in everyone of us. No distinction. We are all made in His image and because He IS the Creator, He puts that within each of us. I heard recently that God will meet us where we are at. That He will speak to us in the things that matter to us. One of my favourite expressions of art is music. I can't play an instrument. I 'think' I can hold a note....I know nothing about the knowledge end of things but I sure can take the message of a song and apply it to my life or find God within the notes and within a good melody.
I was talking to some friends recently and how we, as a christian society have put labels on things. Christian movies, books, music...and how we've boxed ourselves in. The thing is though, God CAN'T be boxed in. If you find yourself in this place that's fine, I just think you are missing out on a LOT of good artistic talent God has put into His people. With these labels have we made a market place for God? Another question that came up in discussion: If Jesus came along and saw us selling these things in His name would He smile and walk by? Or would He overturn the tables? Just some food for thought.
In this blog, I'll show some of the journey God's been taking me on and how He speaks to me and shows His love to me through song...any song. More often than not, this is not under that 'christian' label I mentioned before. I hope you'll keep an open mind and join me on my journey.
