This weeks musical selection is the result of a couple different factors in my life coming together at about the same time. First, I kept hearing this certain song on the radio and I was really drawn into it. Second, my wife asked for this certain CD for Christmas, though I wasn't able to get it in time since it was out of stock at the local bookstore. Anyway, it turns out that even though the CD is a couple years old, that song is on this CD. Sometimes songs come along at just the right time in your life and this is the case for me and this song. Enjoy Big Daddy Weave's "Overwhelmed":
I recently taught our Sunday School class about Old Testament prophets and how to read and interpret those books of the Bible.
One of they key principles we considered was how the prophets were less about predicting the future and more about prosecuting and persuading God's people in the present. Prophets went to great lengths to wake people out of their spiritual slumber and/or encourage them with the future glory that was in store for God's faithful followers. Those things came to mind as I thought about how today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He was very much a modern-day prophet who passionately pointed out the injustices in our nation. The rapper/hip-hop artist Lecrae, an outspoken Christian, echos MLK's message in his song "Welcome to America", which he recently performed on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". The rap/hip-hop nature of the song may not connect with everyone, but the lyrics are pointed and provoking:
(Last half of the last verse)
And y’all don’t know a thing about that
You was made in America
I’m trying to find me a ticket
Where the sky is the limit catch a plane to America
It should be plain to America
Y’all blessed and you got it made
Heard y’all don’t pray no more
Y’all ain’t saved no more
Y’all looking for another way
Well, I hope it ain’t true
But I’m packing my suit
Farewell to my motherland
Said bye to my loved ones
Fate here I come, I’m going to another land
I done made it to America
I’m amazed at America
But I couldn’t get approval to stay so they sent me away from America
This week's song selection is a popular tune that's over ten years old but still holds a top-five ranking of most popular worship songs of our day. Below is a live version that effortlessly incorporates its thematic parent, "How Great Thou Art". I anticipate us singing it this coming Sunday as it naturally connects with our sermon series subject matter, especially as we focus on the beginning and end of Revelation which both describe our victorious and great King.
In our contemporary worship context, a ten year-old song is 'ancient'. But I find it refreshing how even a familiar song can have new life breathed into it with creative arrangements and alterations.
It is freezing cold outside right now in Northern Indiana and we got our first legitimate snow overnight - and are expecting more this evening. It's times like this I like to daydream about summer, laying out at the beach while soaking in the hot sun. I like to imagine swimming, although as a guy in my 30's I don't do it with the same enthusiasm as when I was a kid. What I do find enjoyable these days is swimming in the ocean or Lake Michigan when the wind and/or boats are creating waves and choppy seas.
This summer I had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines on a missions trip. I documented the trip on this blog and detailed how we used basketball to share the gospel. One afternoon, when we had some free time, we visited a beach near Subic Bay. It was a super-humid day, as most are. I remember the water was warm and it also happened to be fairly windy so the waves were pretty good size.
A couple times as we were jumping into the waves, I would rise up out of the water to get my bearings and get knocked over by another one I didn't see coming. A couple times it almost knocked the wind out of me, but it was a lot of fun.
What does that have to do with music?
Well, shortly after returning home, I heard this song and it took me back to that day on the beach and getting momentarily bowled over by the water. And as this song pictures God's love unrelentingly coming at us, I thought about how God's love should affect my soul with the same force that those waves affected my body.
There is more to this special song as it exalts God and His love and then expresses how that strengthens us and gives us courage. I'm pretty sure any time I hear this song I'll think of the Philippines and likewise any time I get crushed by a wave, I'll think of this song.
One final note: if I'm ever unmoved by the lyrics "You are for us, You are not against us" - if that doesn't wreck my spirit at it's core - I will know I have some serious issues with my heart. What a truth: that we undeserving people have been graciously made His.
