So today I went to a...thingy...at my church, and one of the classes I was sitting in was lead by absolutely the most cultured woman I know. (She wrote a book and has a blog and is simply maaaagicaaal... and I love her muchly.) And she was mentioning how the Gospel can be found in everything. She asked for examples and I mentioned Mumford and Sons, a lovely band from England. The song "Roll Away Your Stone," specifically. The lyrics are:
Roll away your stone, I’ll roll away mine
Together we can see what we will find
Don’t leave me alone at this time,
For I am afraid of what I will discover inside
This sounds to me like a moment of introspection.
The speaker is beginning to commit to looking inside
of himself, to removing his mask of solidness and look
at how he really is. But he is afraid of seeing how jacked
up he really is. This speaks to the Christian life as a whole,
the process of conversion, if you will. The first step is to
see how how messed up we are, even if we are afraid of
what we will find.
You told me that I would find a hole,
Within the fragile substance of my soul
And I have filled this void with things unreal,
And all the while my character it steals
This "hole" is the place in our lives where we try to fill
our emptiness with something other than Christ. It's in
this fragile place in us (our souls). And we try and fill
this place with "things unreal," things that distract us for
a moment like people and music. These passions consume
us and eat away at all we are, essentially stealing our
character.
Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I seek
This is the realization that we have to come to that darkness,
no matter how scary it may sound, is the source of everything
we seek without Christ.
It seems that all my bridges have been burned,
But, you say that's exactly how this grace thing works
It’s not the long walk home
that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive with the restart
The burning of the bridges to me means the relationships that
have to be lost in order to receive the grace. And the way to
heaven is hard and long and painful, but the reward of heaven
in the end is what you look forward to when things are hard.
Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I seek
Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I seek
Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I seek
Stars hide your fires,
And these here are my desires
And I will give them up to you this time around
And so, I’ll be found
with my steak stuck in this ground
Marking its territory of this newly impassioned soul
hide your fires,
these are my desires
And I will give them up to you this time around
ADD:And so, I’ll be found
with my steak stuck in this ground
Marking its territory of this newly impassioned soul
The lines "these here are my desires/and I will give them up to
you this time around," to me are the words of repentance. When
one is pursuing something that one loves, but for the wrong
reasons, it's like pursuing the wrong thing. But when one gives his
desires up, it's a new start. It's a line in the sand, a stake in the
ground, that marks what this newly renewed soul will and will not do.
But you, you've gone too far this time
You have neither reason nor rhyme
With which to take this soul that is so rightfully mine
This, I see as a joyful scoff at Satan. Christ is claiming what is His,
telling Satan that he has no place now with this soul that is so
properly His.
(from http://www.lyricsmania.com/roll_away_your_stone_lyrics_mumford_and_sons.html)
We didn't say all that in the class session thingy, but this is what I saw in the lyrics as I read them, like just now.
11.4.12
10.4.12
Easter, two days after...
Hey, so I meant to post this on Sunday, but I couldn't, and I meant to post this yesterday but we did things and my brain got thrown off, and blah blah blah, so here I post it today.
Happy Resurrection Day(:
And so, I shall tell a lovely story about my crying my eyes out on the Easter Sunday.
Our worship set on Sunday was as follows:
*Jesus Saves: http://youtu.be/qbpFdjx8Vt0
* God is Able: http://youtu.be/_2exW2cUdC4
*Overcome: http://youtu.be/rhmcmpX4Zn4
*In Christ Alone: http://youtu.be/d4FBLH5n6IU
(^It took me a little while to find the right arrangements of the songs. And I am absolutely in love with the last two..)
I reflect on the songs now.
We will overcome
By the Blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony
Everyone overcome
That bridge speaks rivers and oceans to me. We will overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Everyone, overcome.
The way it sounds to me, it's like an invitation to a party. Like we're saying, "Hey guys, we're gonna go overcome now, by the blood of the lamb and our testimonies. You wanna come? Hey! Everybody! Come overcome with us!" And who wouldn't want to overcome? It's like...just awesome. The bridge in itself seems a testimony spoken in faith. It's lovely.
"We will overcome" is not a question. "We will overcome" is an imperative statement. We will overcome. Not we might overcome, not it seems like overcoming might happen at some point in my life. It isn't, "It looks like maybe a couple of weeks ago I may have overcome, but now I'm so screwed up that I can't. " It isn't "My situation is so bleak, my addiction is so strong, my money is so tight, my marriage is so jacked up that maybe if I had tried to overcome yesterday then I could win, but now I can't overcome."
It is not "Will we overcome?"It is "We will overcome." Only by the blood of the lamb who was slain. There is no "overcome," no conquering without the blood of the Lamb.
"By...the word of our testimony." That means we have to have one. When hardships are encountered, when you're stuck in the mud, when you're caged in, when you're trapped, count it as joy. James 1:2 "Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." Know why I'm not depressed because of my situation? When others in my place would be angry with God for letting life happen, I count it joy because if nothing more, the garbage that I go through is the same garbage that someone else is going through. When I go through that garbage, it's another testimony to the grace of God. I'm not dead. I'm not homeless and cold and starving, I'm not depressed, I'm not alone. And if God provides for me, he would provide for someone else in my situation. He wouldn't let them go. And He has chosen me to be proof of that, proof of His great love through the storm.
Another set of lines I look far too deeply into:
All authority
Every victory is Yours
Savior
Worthy of Honor and Glory
Worthy of all of our praise
You overcame
Jesus
Awesome in power forever
Awesome and great is Your Name
For You overcame
I think this is just massive boost of faith for everyone. All authority and every victory is His. That's such a comforting....pre-chorus...? Whatever it's called, it's very comforting. Just to walk with the knowledge that the One who loves me enough to die for me also has all authority and every victory is like a soft blanket of peace. (<-- Like my analogy? I do. You should like it). It's just, like, we're hearing Jesus say, "Hey guys chill. I've got this. I've got all of this."
And then the past tense of "You overcame" is beautiful to me. I just love it. I mean, I know it's true that He did overcome, but I think it's more the fact that it doesn't say "You overcome" because that, to me, implies that overcoming is still happening. And it isn't. Jesus isn't still overcoming our struggles and stuff, it's already done. It is finished.
So to close, here are some rather victorious scriptures that, when paired with an "impossible" circumstance are enough to bring tears and stuff.
Ps 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Is 41:13 (NIV) - For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Ps. 27:1 - The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Romans 8:31...if God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Cor. 2:9 - Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
And now....a thingy.
Light.
Rejoice
Life.
Rejoice
The tomb is
open.
Hope.
Darkness bested by
Light.
Despair bested by
Hope.
There is Hope.
He is here.
There is Freedom.
He is here.
There is Life.
He is here.
There is Truth.
He is here.
There is Joy.
He is here.
He is here.
______________________________________
There in the ground
His body lay
Light of the world
By darkness slain
Then bursting forth
In glorious day
Up from the grave
He rose again
And as He stands
In victory
Sin's curse has lost
Its grip on me
For I am His
And He is Mine
Bought with the precious
Blood of Christ
Everyone Overcome.
Peace(:
Happy Resurrection Day(:
And so, I shall tell a lovely story about my crying my eyes out on the Easter Sunday.
Our worship set on Sunday was as follows:
*Jesus Saves: http://youtu.be/qbpFdjx8Vt0
* God is Able: http://youtu.be/_2exW2cUdC4
*Overcome: http://youtu.be/rhmcmpX4Zn4
*In Christ Alone: http://youtu.be/d4FBLH5n6IU
(^It took me a little while to find the right arrangements of the songs. And I am absolutely in love with the last two..)
I reflect on the songs now.
We will overcome
By the Blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony
Everyone overcome
That bridge speaks rivers and oceans to me. We will overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Everyone, overcome.
The way it sounds to me, it's like an invitation to a party. Like we're saying, "Hey guys, we're gonna go overcome now, by the blood of the lamb and our testimonies. You wanna come? Hey! Everybody! Come overcome with us!" And who wouldn't want to overcome? It's like...just awesome. The bridge in itself seems a testimony spoken in faith. It's lovely.
"We will overcome" is not a question. "We will overcome" is an imperative statement. We will overcome. Not we might overcome, not it seems like overcoming might happen at some point in my life. It isn't, "It looks like maybe a couple of weeks ago I may have overcome, but now I'm so screwed up that I can't. " It isn't "My situation is so bleak, my addiction is so strong, my money is so tight, my marriage is so jacked up that maybe if I had tried to overcome yesterday then I could win, but now I can't overcome."
It is not "Will we overcome?"It is "We will overcome." Only by the blood of the lamb who was slain. There is no "overcome," no conquering without the blood of the Lamb.
"By...the word of our testimony." That means we have to have one. When hardships are encountered, when you're stuck in the mud, when you're caged in, when you're trapped, count it as joy. James 1:2 "Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." Know why I'm not depressed because of my situation? When others in my place would be angry with God for letting life happen, I count it joy because if nothing more, the garbage that I go through is the same garbage that someone else is going through. When I go through that garbage, it's another testimony to the grace of God. I'm not dead. I'm not homeless and cold and starving, I'm not depressed, I'm not alone. And if God provides for me, he would provide for someone else in my situation. He wouldn't let them go. And He has chosen me to be proof of that, proof of His great love through the storm.
Another set of lines I look far too deeply into:
All authority
Every victory is Yours
Savior
Worthy of Honor and Glory
Worthy of all of our praise
You overcame
Jesus
Awesome in power forever
Awesome and great is Your Name
For You overcame
I think this is just massive boost of faith for everyone. All authority and every victory is His. That's such a comforting....pre-chorus...? Whatever it's called, it's very comforting. Just to walk with the knowledge that the One who loves me enough to die for me also has all authority and every victory is like a soft blanket of peace. (<-- Like my analogy? I do. You should like it). It's just, like, we're hearing Jesus say, "Hey guys chill. I've got this. I've got all of this."
And then the past tense of "You overcame" is beautiful to me. I just love it. I mean, I know it's true that He did overcome, but I think it's more the fact that it doesn't say "You overcome" because that, to me, implies that overcoming is still happening. And it isn't. Jesus isn't still overcoming our struggles and stuff, it's already done. It is finished.
So to close, here are some rather victorious scriptures that, when paired with an "impossible" circumstance are enough to bring tears and stuff.
Ps 34:19 - Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Is 41:13 (NIV) - For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Ps. 27:1 - The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Romans 8:31...if God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Cor. 2:9 - Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
And now....a thingy.
Light.
Rejoice
Life.
Rejoice
The tomb is
open.
Hope.
Darkness bested by
Light.
Despair bested by
Hope.
There is Hope.
He is here.
There is Freedom.
He is here.
There is Life.
He is here.
There is Truth.
He is here.
There is Joy.
He is here.
He is here.
______________________________________
There in the ground
His body lay
Light of the world
By darkness slain
Then bursting forth
In glorious day
Up from the grave
He rose again
And as He stands
In victory
Sin's curse has lost
Its grip on me
For I am His
And He is Mine
Bought with the precious
Blood of Christ
Everyone Overcome.
Peace(:
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