A Lesson in God’s Fatherhood
April 30, 2008 | 4 Comments
Joe,
Here’s a picture of my lovely daughter, Halle, at 9 months old. The other day God used her to remind me of a valuable lesson about Himself, so I just couldn’t resist posting a picture of her to share the story (though this story has nothing to do with a pink ball!)
Recently Halle has learned to stand up in her crib…only problem is that she has not yet learned how to get herself back down! So what this has meant is that several times over the last few days, Halle has been enjoying a nice nap, when all of a sudden we hear some very loud screaming coming from her nursery. As she wakes up, she starts playing and gets herself standing up, balancing herself on the bar of the crib. But because she doesn’t know how to get down, she just stands there screaming for help. This is especially frustrating when she is supposed to be sleeping!
So we know that if we really want to care for Halle, we need to help her learn how to get herself down from this standing position. The other night we took her into her room and stood her up in the crib. At first she enjoyed herself, but as a few minutes went by it was clear that she wanted to be done. But she couldn’t get herself down! She timidly tried to get down, with no success. She kept looking at us with this awful look of helplessness like, ‘What are you doing? Why won’t you help me?!’ We just watched her and tried to encourage her that she could get down on her own. Then she began screaming like we were the world’s worst parents.
Finally after a bit longer we gave her some help and she got down. But as I thought about this, I couldn’t help but think that I had just received a glimpse of what we must look like to God sometimes. We are faced with some trying situation and we cry out, ‘Help me, God!’ When we don’t see immediate help, we can easily get angry or depressed, thinking that God does not care for us. Yet like 9 month-old Halle, we do not always know what we need. It was in her best interests that we help her to learn how to get down in her crib. Though it caused her some tears, we watched her struggle and did not intervene because we loved her.
So it is with the Lord, isn’t it? He brings trials of various kinds into our lives (James 1:2-4), but in all of them He has loving purposes. He is working to refine our faith, to bring us to completion, to make us mature. The next time I’m experiencing some hardship where God seems to be ignoring me, I hope I’ll have the strength to recall the other night with our daughter. The tears we allowed her to endure were a demonstration of our love for her, though she couldn’t understand it. And the sorrows of this life are likewise acts of God’s love, a love so deep that He would enter into this world in the person of His Son and experience with us our sorrows, bearing all of them on the Cross.
May God grant us all grace to suffer with hope,
Larry
A Slice of Shalom
April 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Thanks for that story, because it helps us think through how to apply our theology to all of life.
Along the same lines, I couldn’t pass up posting this story that Jason just forwarded me from ESPN.com I post it because when I got to the end of the story, with a tear in my eye, I thought to myself, ‘That’s how it ought to be.’
(DISCLAIMER — I am not looking for a theological debate here about total depravity; the ESPN story gives no indication that any of the participants were Christians, and I understand that true shalom must involve perfect delight in God and the display of His glory. At the least, this story is a wonderful display of God’s common grace in giving glimpses of shalom to a fallen people, who nevertheless still bear the image of their Creator in many ways. For that I give many thanks.)
Shalom and Ferry Boats
April 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
First of all, thank you for posting that quote from Plantinga. I am excited to get home and read that book! Of course, it might sound a bit odd to be excited about reading a book about sin, but when we understand more fully the extent of sin’s effects, we will come to a greater understanding of how the Lord wants the world to be. And how He will one day remake it. His short description of Shalom produces in me a great longing for that final day in which the Lord Jesus will return and make all things new.
And all things really means all things. At various times throughout my days, I often find myself wondering, “Now what would this be like if there would be no sin?” Yesterday actually, I was asking myself this very question while boarding a Ferry Boat from Istanbul to Bandirma. We have assigned seats, but it is an unwritten rule (that everyone really is aware of) that on the smaller Ferry Boats, first come first serve. So you can imagine the rush onto the boat itself. Combined that with the fact that they allot about 5 minutes for everyone to board and you will know why I was daydreaming in the midst of the crowd.
Of course, on the New Earth, the Ferry Boats are bound to be much better than the one I was riding yesterday (how sweet will they be?!), but let’s put that on the back burner for now. What would the actual boarding process look like if there was no sin? Certainly, it would be more organized. There would be plenty of time to board. And plenty of seating while waiting to board. Indeed, we might even have some parks to lounge around in while waiting. Then, while boarding, there would be no jostling one another for prime position. No running around old ladies and little babies to get the best seats. Indeed, imagine the entire crowd preferring one another. Maybe a few ‘arguments’ would break out because we would be so jealous to give one another the best seats! Of course, maybe the Ferry Boats on the New Earth will be all ‘best seats’ but that is another matter. You know what I am getting at Lar (as if you were arguing with me right now or something).
Then, when we got onto the ferry, there would be plenty of room for everyone’s luggage, because the Ferry Boat designers will have thought that through ahead of time. Everyone will communicate graciously with one another and would probably speak many encouraging words in the process. On and on I could go. But I cannot end this imaginary time without meditating upon what I myself might be like during the whole process! First of all, I wouldn’t have to daydream about a future and better day because I will be experiencing the best Ferry Boat boarding time ever. I will enjoy the entire process. And I would by no means look on anyone without a smile. I also would not wonder what the attendant was thinking when he told me not to put my bag in one place (a place I normally put it actually) and then, when crunched for time, tell me and others to put it in the precise spot! Ok, so that really happened, but the interesting thing was that because I was thinking about the New Earth, I wasn’t bent out of shape about it! (And yes, I am so pathetic that I might normally be inclined to be bent out of shape about it!).
Suffice it to say Lar, that a Ferry Boat boarding time full of the order and flourishing and fullness and peace of Shalom would be a wonderful time indeed. What joy will be ours when Jesus comes again! For His arrival absolutely. He will be the focus of the entire thing. But even our Ferry Boat boarding times will increase our joy and delight in Him. Shalom will be ours. All things will be made new.
I encourage each of us to ask ourselves the question I posed above sometime today…about anything really. “What would this be like without any sin?” Indeed, it is good to ask it daily about yourself, especially when you are inclined to lose it a bit. Then, after asking, use your imagination a bit, act accordingly, and long some more for that final day.
Imagining great things to come,
Joe
p.s. I will get back to you on the post by Piper as well, Lord willing, sometime tomorrow.
The Way Things Ought to be
April 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will post a review of the book I just finished, called Not the Way it’s Supposed to be by Neal Plantinga. It is essentially a book on the wickedness of sin. Central to understanding what Plantinga says about sin is understanding shalom. You have written on this before, and I think you may have linked to this quote a few weeks ago, but I thought I’d write it out. If nothing else, it will serve me well to think carefully about it as I type the quote up.
Shalom is a word many Christians know, though they may not be aware of its richness. Here’s what Plantinga says about shalom:
“They (the prophets) dreamed of a new age in which human crookedness would be straightened out, rough places made plain. The foolish would be made wise, and the wise, humble. They dreamed of a time when the deserts would flower, the mountains would run with wine, weeping would cease, and people could go to sleep without weapons on their laps. People would work in peace and work to fruitful effect. Lambs could lie down with lions. All nature would be fruitful, benign, and filled with wonder upon wonder; all humans would be knit together in brotherhood and sisterhood, and all nature and all humans would look to God, walk with God, lean toward God and delight in God. Shouts of joy and recognition would well up from valleys and seas, from women in streets and from men on ships.
“The webbing together of God, humans and all creation in justice, fulfillment and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight — a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.”
May it be so, Lord! And may You use your people to work for the shalom of our communities,
Larry
Spending for the Sake of Christ
April 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I liked this short commentary from John Piper on the government’s plan to stimulate the economy by giving everyone money to spend. It especially caught my eye because at the end of it Piper quoted Hebrews 13:5, which I quoted yesterday at church in introducing our offering time.
Joe, I’d like your thoughts on this one when you have a chance,
Larry
Prayer for Piper
April 26, 2008 | 3 Comments
From Desiring God:
PRAYER FOR JOHN PIPER
For the next four weeks John will be taking his annual writing leave, working on a book on marriage and a book on the new birth. Earlier this year he finished writing a book on spectacular sins, which is now in the final editing stages. In addition to these three books, there are three smaller books/booklets in the works. Here is the complete list of pending publications:
· Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ (September, 2008)
· Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of God (September, 2008)
· History’s Most Spectacular Sin booklet (June, 2008)
· John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God (2009)
· Marriage book (title forthcoming)
· New Birth book (title forthcoming)
Please pray for:
· Mental and physical strength for John as he devotes himself to the task of working on these books
· Discipline and spiritual life and power and insight from God
· The others who are working on various aspects of the books: editors, proofreaders, designers, indexers and the publisher
Above all, pray that everyone involved would work with diligence in the strength God supplies so that in all things God gets the glory.
Mission in the Kingdom
April 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
As I have been thumbing through Kingdom Come, the book which I reviewed yesterday, I feel compelled to add one more thing. I suppose it is a kind of caution, for the sake of balance. I said yesterday that this book provides a much needed kick in the pants to a kind of Christian who only regards Kingdom work as getting souls saved, yet is indifferent to the cosmic scope of God’s work of redemption in Jesus.
But Wakabayashi’s emphasis on a holistic approach toward spreading God’s kingdom does run the risk of minimizing the importance of evangelism. There are several places where Wakabayashi tries to ensure that he will not be misunderstood in this way. He often says things like, ‘I’m not saying that we shouldn’t care about calling people to believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins…we should!’ Nevertheless, I think the greatest shortcoming of the book is that it tends to minimize the radical nature of man’s alienation from God, which is dealt with primarily through the task of traditional evangelism. Let me explain what I mean.
On page 84 of Kingdom Come, Wakabayashi writes,
‘I suspect that because many Christians think that the most important thing they can do is to help others find salvation in Christ, the Christian church’s mission is targeted toward the salvation of lost people. Much less significance is attached to being an agent of the kingdom in and around us in all of our interactions, responsibilities and activities.’
Now remember that Wakabayashi’s goal is to awaken a slumbering church, which cares much about souls going to heaven, but is often indifferent toward feeding the poor, freeing the oppressed, caring for orphans, providing good education for our children and creating social systems that are more in line with God’s intentions for restoring the whole lost creation.
But I think Wakabayashi errs when he addresses this failure of the Church by suggesting that the problem is that Christians think helping others find salvation in Christ is the most important thing. As I said, I think this ignores the radical nature of man’s alienation from God.
I take the word ‘radical’ as Tim Keller does in his excellent book Ministries of Mercy (review forthcoming!). Like Wakabayashi, Keller is also committed to seeing Christians live out a more holistic approach to spreading God’s Kingdom. He sees personal evangelism and mercy ministry as both being means to the end of the spreading of God’s Kingdom. This places a high level of importance on both evangelism and social justice.
But Keller wisely identifies that the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s substitutionary death is the radical need of all humans. By radical he means going to the root of a thing. And it is man’s alienation from God that is the root from which every other human misery flows. Therefore, in Keller’s view (and I agree wholeheartedly), ‘The more radical ministry to the condition of man is to proclaim the word of faith. There is no more fundamental means to cut the root of sin and death than with the verbal message of the gospel.’
While many people think evangelism and the Word are more important than deed-based social justice, this is based on an unbiblical belief that the spiritual is more important than the physical. Both are important, and Christ’s redemption aims at restoring both. But because man’s alienation from God is the radical need, Kingdom-minded people realize that global renewal of the whole creation is grounded in God’s saving activity with human beings through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. As humans go, so goes the whole creation. When Adam fell, the whole creation was cursed. And now the whole creation waits with eager longing for the revelation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19), because our final redemption will bring the creation to its final redemption.
For all I know, Wakabayashi affirms all of this. But, in my opinion, the greatest shortcoming of his book is that it is not clear enough in addressing how man’s alienation from God is the radical root from which all other Kingdom advancement must flow. I still think it is a helpful book worth reading, but I hope this qualification provides a bit of balance to my very positive review from yesterday.
Larry
All for the Sake of the Gospel
April 24, 2008 | 2 Comments
“To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law…I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
Book Review — Kingdom Come
April 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Kingdom Come, by Allen Mitsuo Wakabayashi
In our discussion of music last week, Joe warned us about the danger of throwing out the gold along with the dross. In thinking about the Kingdom of God, I think many lovers of Christ have done just that. We live in a day in which the ‘Emergent Church’ is growing in popularity by preaching a form of the gospel which is not truly the gospel. It is not really new, but it is a continuation of the social gospel that has been prominent for decades. In essence, they focus their attention on making the world a better place, caring for the environment, and fighting for issues of social justice. When these things are happening, we are bringing about the Kingdom of God. Human depravity, substitutionary atonement, hell, these are things that the emergents can do without, impediments to doing the real work of the Kingdom.
This is plain heresy. But it is heresy not because of what they care about (creation, social justice, etc.), but because of what they ignore. Yet it seems to me that many Christians have thrown out the gold with the dross. When someone speaks about the importance of fighting for the rights of the poor and marginalized, when they emphasize God’s commitment to His whole creation, not just human souls, many Christians cringe and cry out, ‘Emergent!’
Because of this tendency, I think some people who read Kingdom Come will feel uncomfortable that parts of it sound emergent. But in my opinion, this book wisely, simply and accurately brings out a much needed emphasis for Christians to consider as we ponder the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. To be as clear as I can be, this book is not emergent. I think this quote from the back of the book summarizes well Wakabayashi’s thesis:
God is up to something! And his plans are far greater than we might imagine. Christianity is not merely about isolated individuals going to heaven. It’s about God transforming the entire world and making things right. Sicknesses will be healed, sins will be forgiven, injustice will be eradicated, and all creation will be redeemed. But this is not merely a distant future. It’s happening now through what Jesus came to establish — the Kingdom of God.
I can’t capture the content of this book better than that summary. I thought this was an excellent introduction to this often neglected theme of God’s Kingdom. For too long I have considered God’s work in the world as limited to bringing humans the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. In reality God’s work is much more than this. For the Church to be the Church, we must do more than just tell people about how Jesus died for their sins. To be sure, we must do that! But being a Christian, and seeking first the Kingdom of God, means more than just this. I think our tendency to minimize the scope of Christ’s redemption to human souls is a symptom of our inherent man-centeredness. Wakabayashi helped me to recover a truly God-centered picture of redemption and the Kingdom of God.
As I read this book (and others with a similar theme, as future book reviews will communicate), I have found myself more in awe of the cosmic scope of what Jesus accomplished by His death on the Cross. For that, I am very grateful. And if you are interested in reading more about this topic, I think this book is a great place to start, because of its length (170 pages) and readability.
Can this book be construed as emergent? Yes, it can. But that is not because of the content of the book, but only because of the worldview that a potential reader might bring to the book. For those who bring a thoroughly biblical view of Christian doctrine, you will not find this to be an ‘emergent’ book. And to ignore its message because of the possibility that it might sound emergent would be to throw out the gold along with the dross.
Many thanks to Gino for sending this book my way!
Larry
Book Review — City on a Hill
April 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
City on a Hill, by Philip Ryken
I picked up this book off of Joe’s bookcase because of the title. I have been thinking a lot lately about the role of the Church in the world, and how to truly and faithfully live out the calling of Jesus to be the light of the world, a city on a hill. I hoped that this book would bring clarity on what it means to truly living out that calling in the world.
While I enjoyed this book, it was not exactly what I hoped it would be. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good, much-needed book for the Church to consider. Ryken describes what the Church ought to be, the main pillars that make any church what it is supposed to be. Ryken highlights seven main functions of the local church:
Expository Preaching, Corporate Worship, Fellowship, Pastoral Care, Disicpleship, Missions/Evangelism, and Mercy Ministry.
Devoting a chapter to each of these main functions, Ryken describes why each one is of tremendous importance to sustain a healthy local church. I enjoyed reading the book because it reminded me of some basic things that need to be a priority, and challenged me to think about how much of a priority I individually place upon these important characteristics. I think the seven attributes that Ryken mentions will be a useful guide for my prayers for our local church here in Pitman.
In sum, I think this is a good, beginner’s book for understanding the importance of the Church, and how it ought to function. While it did not get into some of the tougher questions of cultural engagement that the title suggested to me, I still enjoyed reading it and believe it is a profitable one for anyone who wants to grow in love for Christ’s Church.
A Baby Observation
April 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
No matter how many kids you have, it should certainly be impossible not to marvel at a newborn baby. Here comes this little one into the world after spending nine months inside her mother. For the first time, he or she hears full clarity of sound, sees people, wears clothes, breathes in air, eats, and gets bombarded (in Naomi’s case at least) by her sister and brother whenever they are able.
Numerous observations could be made that apply to us, I am sure, but I offer just one for today (I might have one for tomorrow) that I have seen in Naomi: If you want her to be happy and to sleep well, you have to remember her life stage and adjust her stimulation accordingly.
Now by “life stage” what I mean is the simple fact that she is a newborn and has just emerged from the careful, controlled environment within her mother. That’s her life stage. She is brand new to the world. She has never seen these things before or been bombarded with the clarity of sound from the semi-broken washer or our creaky bathroom door. She is fresh, in a sense. Sure, she may have heard these things from a distance as it were, but there seems to be a big difference for this little one between being in and being out!
Having said that, it should make sense that many of the things I mentioned above would be a bit overwhelming for her. She can’t handle too much at one time or her little mind seems to get overcome. It’s actually quite obvious when she has had too long an encounter with her older siblings (who love her dearly). It’s almost as if she is saying, “Ok, I love you too, but you are a bit much for me now.” Of course, she can only communicate that through her face and her cries. For normally, she ends up crying much more than normal before (or if) she falls off to sleep.
I remember distinctly a time in which I gave Elijah a little too much stimulus when he was a newborn. Erin and I have a good laugh about it now and again. For the most part, we kept his little life in Italy relaxed as can be. Sleep and eat was about all. And he was doing wonderfully with everything. But then I had to introduce him to a basketball and help him dance on the table a bit and guess what? He was done. He cried like he never cried before. Why? Because I threw too much at him. He couldn’t handle it all. He wasn’t ready for hoops and dancing yet.
Anyhow, here is the application for us. We need to 1) understand our life stage and 2) beware of overstimulating or overbooking ourselves. For we too have limits as human beings. We an only handle and do so much. And overtimes, what we can handle and what we can do vary in dependence upon our life stage. I know that I have had to adjust my approach over the last week or so with the addition of another little one. Life with three is a bit more challenging for Erin and I than life with two. So I had to step up my ‘game’ in Husband/Daddy area while realizing that I had to tone down my ‘game’ in another area. I can’t keep everything at a fever pitch. If one thing moved up on my life list, then another had to move down. After all, I, like Naomi, have my limits.
I could say more, but that is enough for today. I would just encourage you and everyone else Lar to take account of your life stage today and to ask yourself whether or not you are overbooked yourself. Or underbooked I suppose. It’s a good exercise and one that, I believe, the Lord wants us to do consistently.
Seeking greater wisdom to live well,
Joe
Together for the Gospel
April 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The audio for the recently completed Together for the Gospel conference has been posted for free on the web. You can play or download all the messages here.
Accept Truth Wherever it Appears
April 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
In light of our recent discussion about music, I thought this post from the Desiring God blog was awfully timely!
Calvin on Music
April 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Good stuff as of late. I hope to interact with it more sometime soon. For now though, I want to offer the following quote. Though it isn’t from John Calvin, it is a summary of his thought by Henry Van Til on the subject of music. Of course, Van Til says much more, but the follow paragraph summarizes things quite well. It also speaks to what we have been blogging about the past few days.
“Song is the unlimited reservoir of power, since it moves our hearts to call upon the name of God more earnestly. By it we are strong in temptation and in the face of persecution (with the Huguenots and many martyrs who went to the stake singing), and it renews the soul. By singing the church is builded and its members united in the holy bond of love. Calvin did not condemn secular music, namely, that which had the creation of God as its object, out of hand. But the secular may not be godless; it must serve to glorify God indirectly through our joy and elevation. Therefore, music that degrades, that corrupts good manners, that flatters the flesh, must be rejected. For music has a secret and incredible power to move the hearts. When evil words are accompanied by music, they penetrate more deeply and the poison enters as wine through a funnel into the vat.”
I think that says it quite well.
Pursuing greater wisdom with you,
Joe
A Final Word on DMB
April 16, 2008 | 1 Comment
While I welcome more discussion about this whole matter of secular music (especially Dave Matthews Band), this will probably be my last post on the matter. But I wanted to devote some space to the whole issue of the emotions. In the last week or so I’ve watched a few videos of DMB performances on youtube, looking for some of the songs that I remember being favorites. Doing this has certainly led to a lot of emotions. Here are a few that stick out to me.
· Amazement at the common grace that God gives. I feel like I could write about this point for hours, because this is the one that has been most gripping to me as I’ve watched a few of these videos. By common grace I mean the grace that God gives to all people, as Jesus describes in Matthew 5 when He says that God makes the sun rise upon the just and the unjust. As I watch the band perform, I gripped with admiration for a God who so richly blesses His enemies.
In particular I am struck by two things. First is there musical talent. I know I am not the best person to talk about this since I have no musical abilities, but they are really good! I have listened to a lot of Christian music in the past six years that I’ve been abstaining from listening to DMB, and while there are some groups that have clearly been influenced by DMB, they just don’t seem to have quite the same skill level or originality. I remember when I had a bunch of their CD’s I had a recording of a concert they did where they played a song called #41 (one that Celess had mentioned) for 25 minutes. The first 3 minutes involved lyrics, while the final 22 was the band ‘jamming,’ with long violin, saxophone and banjo solos. I’m sure there are other bands that do this, but not Christian ones. Too often my favorite Christian artists do mostly 4 minute pop songs with the same pattern of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus. So I find myself admiring a God who would lavish such rich, creative gifts to men who do not even acknowledge Him or give Him glory for their gifts.
Second, there is the common grace of the joy that God gives them in using their talents. This was the main reason I went to see them live 8 or 10 times in the late 90’s and early 00’s. Watching them play music is almost as delightful as the music itself. As I watch the interaction between Matthews and the violinist and the drummer, it is so clear that these men LOVE what they are doing. They love one another. They are, in a sense, doing what God made them to do, and it shows. Now I realize that they were created to worship God and they are not doing that, so how can I say they are doing what they were created to do?
What I mean is that they are using the gifts they have been given, and though they do not use them in a way that magnifies the greatness of Christ, they are clearly finding a kind of joy (fleeting as it will be for them) in doing what God blessed them to do. It is sad to me that while I have seen many Christian concerts, I have never seen manifest delight in playing music like I see in watching DMB.
These two things – their talent and their love for what they do – make me feel profound admiration for the grace of God which He lavishes on all people.
· Gratitude to God for giving me the hope in Jesus that many of the band’s songs seem to point to. I hear a song like Ants Marching (one of their most popular), and the song seems to be about exposing humanity’s inclination to let society shape them without their ever waking up and learning to stop conforming to the norm. And then I think about how there was a time when I too blindly followed the ways of this world without realizing the nature of my blindness. Yet in His mercy, God awakened me to see the lies that this world had been telling me, and learned that I was more than a little ant marching along without ever expressing the deep longings of my soul that I had been pushing down for so many years. There are many other songs which, without glorifying sin, make me think of the life I used to live, and how there is so much more meaning and purpose in my life now.
· Longing to speak with Dave Matthews. Despite the quotes that I posted the other day in which Matthews professes agnosticism, it is clear that he is somewhat of a spiritual seeker, and even a confused soul. The same man who urges people to ‘Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die,’ also writes,
Bartender, please
Fill my glass for me
With the wine you gave Jesus that set him free
After three days in the ground
Bartender, you see
The wine thats drinking me
Came from the vine that strung Judas from the devils tree
Its roots deep, deep in the ground
He seems to be aware that there is something wrong with organized religion as he has experienced, but my guess is that he has never witnessed authentic Christianity lived out. Though he urges people to make the most of today because it’s all he thinks we’ve got, he also seems to be aware that there is a longing in his soul which is not now being satisfied. I would love to spend time with this man and help him to see the reality which his soul seems often to be expressing longing for. So many of his songs have a theme along the lines of, ‘This is the only life you have, so live it to the fullest.’ How I wish I could share with him that while this is the only life we have in this world, there is a way to make our lives count for eternity through fellowship with Christ. In that way we will never have to ‘lie in our graves, dreaming what we might have been.’
· Amazement that even though I cannot get to Dave Matthews, One infinitely greater than Dave Matthews invites me into His eternal fellowship and calls me a friend. You see, I long to get to Dave Matthews, but I can’t. He is totally inaccessible to me. That is how it is with the people our world esteems as ‘great’. They have bodyguards and they can only be viewed from a distance. You can never get close to them.
But the greatness of the Gospel is that in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the One who is infinitely greater and more admirable than any rock musician did come, and He dwelt in flesh and blood and invited all who were thirsty to come to Him and find the satisfaction of our hearts’ desires. And this is true despite the fact that I lived 22 years of my life in total rebellion against Him. I have never done anything to alienate myself from Dave Matthews, and yet still I can’t get near him for even a fraction of a minute. Yet at the cost of the life of His Beloved Son, the God who I mocked and rebelled against, has stepped into the world to make this enemy His friend. Could anything be more incredible!?
I’m so grateful that my King has made me His friend. And I hope you’ll join me in praying that someone can get close enough to Dave Matthews the great hope that can be found in Him, and that God would make His light to shine in the heart of this gifted, wandering man.
Larry
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