Me, and Maybe You
I was introduced to All Sons and Daughters by the ever awesome Beckey B. and have pretty much fallen in love. I listen to their cd over and over and over, repeat, repeat, repeat... you get the picture. I recognize this is not everyone's type of music, but this song is breathtakingly beautiful because the words are. so. powerful.
It's long, and slow, and you won't listen to the whole thing because I know you, and you don't plan on spending more than 1:16.2 minutes (that's 1 minute, 16 seconds and 2 milliseconds) reading a post. I know because I timed myself reading three of mine and averaged them out. :-) (That's not entirely true, I guessed the average because I hate math.) Back to my point... this song is like 6 times the length of time you're willing to spend here, BUT, just for me, because it's December and it's the month of giving, because the 6th is St.Nicholas Day and you want to observe it by giving the gift of time, listen to the entire song. Press play then fold your laundry or unload your dishwasher, update accounts payable, just listen to it.
You didn't really listen to it and just skipped down to this part, I'm no dummy. Here. At least read the lyrics:
All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that you are holy
Will know that you are holy
All will sing out, Hallelujah
We will cry out, Hallelujah
All the hearts who are content
And all who feel unworthy
All who hurt with nothing left
Will know that you are holy
Shout it, go on and scream it from the mountains
Go on and tell it to the masses
That He is God
We will sing out, Hallelujah
We will cry out, Hallelujah
We will sing out, Hallelujah
God
Not nearly as powerful as when you listen to the music, but you get the point, pretty awesome words.
Here's what I love, heart-bursting, painstakingly love, about this song. This line right here: All the hearts that are content. Because that's me. And I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that's 90% of all people who call themselves Christians living in Orange County, or California, or North America. We are a content people.
All Sons and Daughters lists what most would consider really sad states; lost, lonely, powerless, poor, thieves, then BAM adds hearts that are content to the list. It was my interpretation that they were singing of a passive, complacent heart. (*It should be noted that this might not have been their intention. Maybe they wanted to include the spectrum and considered a content heart a good thing.) The "content" that I was convicted by is a sad state to be in. I have been there. I am tempted to be there now. My husband has cut back his hours at work, he is fruitful in his job and it's thriving. We have a great house, four happy, healthy children. We are plugged in well at church and have friends and family that love us. We, by every rule of thumb, should be content. But what a sad, sad state that would be.
If we were content we wouldn't need God.
That thought alone causes a lump to swell in my throat.
When I get to the reprise of this song I really do scream it at the top of my lungs. My kids think I'm crazy, which is not unusual. I can't help but get loud when think of my total dependency on God, We will sing out, Hallelujah! We will cry out, Hallelujah! GOD!
If you are utterly dependent, fully surrendered to God then go on, shout it, scream it from the mountains, tell it to the masses, He is God!
**The type of contentment I'm talking about is more of a complacency. We should be content with the things we have, not living in a state constant of want. That is right on. But in our relationship with God - I don't know, I think that being content in that would be a great loss.
It's long, and slow, and you won't listen to the whole thing because I know you, and you don't plan on spending more than 1:16.2 minutes (that's 1 minute, 16 seconds and 2 milliseconds) reading a post. I know because I timed myself reading three of mine and averaged them out. :-) (That's not entirely true, I guessed the average because I hate math.) Back to my point... this song is like 6 times the length of time you're willing to spend here, BUT, just for me, because it's December and it's the month of giving, because the 6th is St.Nicholas Day and you want to observe it by giving the gift of time, listen to the entire song. Press play then fold your laundry or unload your dishwasher, update accounts payable, just listen to it.
You didn't really listen to it and just skipped down to this part, I'm no dummy. Here. At least read the lyrics:
All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that you are holy
Will know that you are holy
All will sing out, Hallelujah
We will cry out, Hallelujah
All the hearts who are content
And all who feel unworthy
All who hurt with nothing left
Will know that you are holy
Shout it, go on and scream it from the mountains
Go on and tell it to the masses
That He is God
We will sing out, Hallelujah
We will cry out, Hallelujah
We will sing out, Hallelujah
God
Not nearly as powerful as when you listen to the music, but you get the point, pretty awesome words.
Here's what I love, heart-bursting, painstakingly love, about this song. This line right here: All the hearts that are content. Because that's me. And I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that's 90% of all people who call themselves Christians living in Orange County, or California, or North America. We are a content people.
All Sons and Daughters lists what most would consider really sad states; lost, lonely, powerless, poor, thieves, then BAM adds hearts that are content to the list. It was my interpretation that they were singing of a passive, complacent heart. (*It should be noted that this might not have been their intention. Maybe they wanted to include the spectrum and considered a content heart a good thing.) The "content" that I was convicted by is a sad state to be in. I have been there. I am tempted to be there now. My husband has cut back his hours at work, he is fruitful in his job and it's thriving. We have a great house, four happy, healthy children. We are plugged in well at church and have friends and family that love us. We, by every rule of thumb, should be content. But what a sad, sad state that would be.
If we were content we wouldn't need God.
That thought alone causes a lump to swell in my throat.
When I get to the reprise of this song I really do scream it at the top of my lungs. My kids think I'm crazy, which is not unusual. I can't help but get loud when think of my total dependency on God, We will sing out, Hallelujah! We will cry out, Hallelujah! GOD!
If you are utterly dependent, fully surrendered to God then go on, shout it, scream it from the mountains, tell it to the masses, He is God!
**The type of contentment I'm talking about is more of a complacency. We should be content with the things we have, not living in a state constant of want. That is right on. But in our relationship with God - I don't know, I think that being content in that would be a great loss.
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shae