I figured something out today. Of course, it’s something most of you have discovered many years ago and I have certainly realized it in some for or another over the years, but it hit home for me today in a new way. The theorem is this: You can be told to appreciate something great, but you never quite “get it” or believe it until you experience it yourself.
This is true for great art. Someone might have told you that Bob Dylan and Mark Heard are great writers, but until you internalize their art yourself (experience it yourself), you really have no idea. You’re only relying on other people’s opinions. Once you listen to the penmanship of songwriters like those two guys, then you get it. They really are great.
I had this realization about an oft-loved psalm today. Yes, I realized the depth and greatness of the 23rd Psalm. I had been jaded to its power and excellence because I’ve heard it so often and heard other people talk about how much they loved it. It’s kind of like those popular radio hits. You hear them so often that you begin to love every song on Leftoverture BUT “Carry On (Wayward Son).” The 23rd Psalm is really super-rich and full of substance. It’s not just a “Roses are Red, Violets are blue” over-familiar bit of poetry.
I guess the axiom “familiarity breeds contempt” has some merit.
And now something else…
I was forwarded an email recently with one of those paradoxical bit of prose blurbs that shed some light on the importance of this man named Jesus:
“Greatest man in history, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master. Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet he conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.”
And another thought…
I was forwarded a link from this guy named Adam, who has been making some cool devotional style blogs. I love his frankness and passionate expositions on spirituality. In a recent blog he said some really “need-to-be-said” things about how believers often treat non-believers around them. It’s obvious, but seldom followed, it seems. Hope he keeps up the good work. Check it out at: a shot of caffeine for your spirit
In other random news, someone was trying to find an old album review written by The Kern County Kid in HM Magazine. They dug up this blog: http://kerncountykid.blogspot.com/
Could this be penned by the raucous HM writer? Who knows…?
And now for something completely different: The pastor at church today (Austin Stone Community Church) spoke about the wrath of God. I thought of all the times I’d heard someone talk about how it didn’t make sense that a loving God would punish His creation. As he began to touch on this unpopular subject, I began to imagine a way to explain it myself…
Have you ever been really pissed off at someone? You know, like something really bad happened and it made you really, really mad? Maybe it was someone you know getting mistreated by another person – someone that callously used and/or abused this person you care for. As long as the person goes unpunished (especially if they gloat over it or show absolutely no remorse for the evil they’ve done), it kind of burns a hole of anger in your stomach. When you think about ignorant rednecks that brutalize someone of another race, it can make your blood boil. You hear of someone harming a defenseless animal or taking advantage of and hurting someone smaller and weaker. When evil attacks or seems to triumph it can make just about anybody really, really mad. Think about the blind and hateful SS officers in the Nazi party. Wouldn’t you like to throttle those guys? I mean, I would. When I saw Schindler’s List for the first time I imagined myself praying that God would allow me to descend into Hell with golf shoes on so that I could step on Hitler’s face. That’s not a nice feeling or emotion I had, but it was fierce anger directed at someone who deserved severe punishment. That is the sort of anger that can maybe approach this word called “wrath.” Maybe I’m just an idiot (well, there are no “maybe’s” about it. I am a stupid moron.), but I thought of this emotion and how fairly common it is and it seemed to help me understand the wrath of God.
I’ve heard logical arguments about justice and love and agree that a fair and just God would punish rebellion and sin. I’ve been satisfied on an intellectual level about that (though I won’t attempt to write a treatise on the subject right now), but being able to empathize with God and perhaps minutely understand the emotion of wrath, anger, “righteous anger” … sort of seems to make some sense on an emotional level. If I can understand how furious some things make me feel, then it makes it slightly easier to understand and empathize with divine judgment.
It’s certainly a valid question.
And another shift of mental gears (in a non-sens-ical stream of consciousness) I thought I’d share an update on HM Magazine and the “Save HM Magazine Campaign…”
The HM Magazine business health is about as bleak as ever. As bad as it was a year ago, it seems worse now. Not sure what is going to happen, but I have a strange sense of confidence that it’s not going to fail. I will endeavor to share some of my notes on what I think Someone showed me a year ago when I sought His face about the matter. Some of these steps or areas I have done and others have really yet to explore. Perhaps sharing them will help open doors or get some perspective. More on that when I’m not so tired. It’s late (2 am) and I need to recharge.
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