The term "shawshanked" has become a cultural reference to describe the situation when you are channel surfing and get totally caught up in watching a particular movie you hadn't been looking for. It is derived from the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" which has had that effect on many people due to its constant playing on various cable stations. Personally, I enjoy that movie but don't feel obligated to watch it when I see it on the channel guide. The mid-nineties movie, "Heat" however, absolutely sucks me in when I see it on. I can't recall ever seeing it on DVD, so I am sure it has plenty of objectionable material, but given the FCC edits cable stations make, I find it acceptable viewing as a thoroughly compelling and dramatic movie. Twice this weekend I ran across it and twice I forgot what I had been watching and let myself get into this classic cops-and-robbers film. What I've grown to appreciate more and more in each successive viewing is the musical score. It matches the tension and mood of each scene. And in the climactic ending, when the protagonist and antagonist square off in a shoot-out and chase, one particular song captures the scene perfectly and ends the movie exquisitely. That song is lyric-less but mesmerizing "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" by Moby.
This weekend, I started to ponder both the content and title of this song- because apparently repeated viewings makes you think about such details.
I thought about perfectly the song matched the title when you remove it from the context of the movie and apply it to Genesis 1, which describes how "the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" at the beginning of Creation. Listen to that song, think of Genesis, and see if your mind isn't entranced by beauty, transcendence, and the glory of God. I don't think all of this is just coincidence either. Moby has made a number of different statements about his belief in Christ (though His views on the Church and organized Christianity, while true in many ways, miss the point). It seems likely that Moby, being familiar with Scripture's introductory scene, was inspired to compose this piece. A piece that ended up a fitting ending to the final scene of a really entertaining (though spiritually meaningless) movie.Such is the essence of Music Monday, sometimes spiritual truth is found in what is trite.
We are concluding our series in Genesis by introducing ourselves again to Abram/Abraham. He represents the specific plan of salvation that God sets about orchestrating through the rest of Scripture. The Lord makes an incredible promise to Abram that he will bring about a great nation from him, even though at the time, he and his wife Sarai could not conceive. But God promises to do so and even bless the entire world through them (Gen.12:1-3). It's a classic example of faith - trusting in the promises of God despite the situation we find ourselves in. This week's musical selection is an old-school knee-slapper that speaks to these themes of Genesis 11-12. For those musically-trained, it includes parts for various voices and when sung well turns into a really fun song extolling the certain promises of our great God.
This past weekend, we continued to follow the life of Noah, specifically looking at The Flood episode. The previous week's passage (ch.6) detailed everything leading up to the historic catastrophe, and the following chapters leave no doubt about God's powerful judgment. While The Flood is largely about God's punishment of humanity for their pervasive sin, it is equally as much about God's grace to Noah, his family, and the animals on the Ark. God graciously directs, protects, remembers, and restores Noah. Noah's response of obedience, patience, and worship provide examples for us to emulate. "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is quite possibly my favorite older hymn and it echoes those same themes found in Genesis 7-8. It expresses commitment, praise, and humility much like Noah did through the most trying year of his life.
The Flood renewed the physical creation that was Earth. It did not permanently renew the human heart (8:21) however, but God still promises blessing and we know ultimately had a solution in mind with Jesus. This great hymn likewise recognizes our continuing proclivity to sin and turns to Christ our Savior for the victory and forgiveness we need.
Maybe the most well-known stories of the early chapters of Genesis is that of Noah and the Ark. Humanity is so depraved and wicked, God is left with no other option but to punish the world with a catastrophic flood that will destroy all living things - except Noah and his family. And the animals God sends their way.
Maybe no other song is as directly tied to the stories of Genesis as this one. It came out while I was in high school and I actually remember a non-Christian friend asking me about it before I'd even heard it. He had heard it on a secular alt. rock station. It took the imagery of The Flood and allegorized it a little so it applied to us personally. We all are weak, dying, and in need of God's help to save us.
In an effort to catch up a little bit, to where we are in our sermon series, I'm including two songs this week. One is an older traditional hymn, the other is from the early 80's - a time when contemporary worship was developing, but hadn't quite taken hold in most churches. The hymn relates to Genesis 3 while the second song relates more to Genesis 4-5.
While Genesis 3 describes the Fall of Humanity, this song is about Faith providing us victory. How does the song relate? Adam and Eve's failure at its core was a failure to trust God and it plunged all of mankind into a depraved state for the rest of history. The only hope out of this position of spiritual death is faith. Faith truly is the victory!
After the Fall, mankind is pictured as slipping into a downward spiral, especially with Cain and his descendants (Gen. 4). But Seth is born as a third son to Adam and Eve and his descendants begin to "call on the name of the Lord" (4:26). In other words, they choose a path of devotion and faithfulness to God rather than the destructive path of Cain's family. The paths remain a choice each of us must face - as Joshua would later say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15).
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
Genesis 1-2 beautifully describe how God made the heavens and the earth. They are duplicate accounts that underscore God's creativity and care in creating both our world and humanity itself.
However perfect that original world is in our minds eye, we err if we minimize the fact that God spoke and it came to be. His very words ushered in the existence of all things. This is truly mind-blowing and incomprehensible. And that's the point.
God is in charge, this is His world. And it all reflects his glorious nature.
So for this week's selection of songs inspired by Genesis, let me offer "This is My Father's World" in correlation to Genesis 1-3. Yes, I include Genesis 3, because the third verse of Maltbie Babcock's classic assures us:
This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord
is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_is_My_Father%27s_World
