Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Introduction to The Death of Death..by JI Packer +

    INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ___ to John Owen's The Death Of Death in the Death of Christ ___ By J.I. Packer _________ Read More
  • An Interview with Os Guiness on the 25th Anniversary of Francis Schaeffer's Death-Justin Taylor, 2009 +

    Next week (May 15) will be the 25th anniversary of the death of Francis Schaeffer, who died in his home Read More
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Expositing an album (in this case, Soul Asylum's Grave Dancer's Union) seemed like a good idea when I started...

and I really love that I have ten blog topics that I don't have to rack my brain for. Not to mention that I really do like doing it. Like I said, it's my superpower. The only drawbacks I can see are that 1. you, the reader might get kinda tired of it, and 2. I'm starting to wonder if I sound preachy... or more preachy than usual, anyway...

That's absolutely not how I want to come off... so... I hope I am wrong about it. It's just the natural progression of my thoughts when I'm expostulating on the these tunes.

Anyway, next up... (Click the link to hear the song)

***

Homesick
I want to live with you
In the fifth dimension
In a dream I've never had
Cause I just can't live like this
In a world like this
I just want a kiss goodbye

We are not of this world
And there's a place for us
Stuck inside this fleeting moment
Tucked away where no one owns it
Wrapped up in a haste,
And by mistake got thrown away
And oh, I am so homesick
But it ain't that bad
Cause I'm homesick for the home I've never had

I know I sometimes get annoyed
I know just where I'm at
This is my song of joy
And now I know there are no secret tricks
No correct politics
Just liars and lunatics

And we are not of this world
And there's a place for us
Stuck inside this fleeting moment
Tucked away where no one owns it
Wrapped up in a haste,
And by mistake got thrown away
And oh, I am so homesick
But it ain't that bad
Cause I'm homesick for the home I've never had

And though I would not take it personally
It's just the child in me
I never really knew how much I had
And woe is me, I am so homesick
But it ain't that bad
Cause I'm homesick for the home I never had

***

Let's go!
It's a lovely lament, a heartfelt cry of longing for heaven... that perfect world where everything will be... perfect. I totally dig where the singer is coming from, and I wrote here about that very thing. I would point out (again) that Paul wanted it too: "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far..." (Philippians 1:23)

The singer knows that his yearning stems from the fact that "we are not of this world," which is just what Jesus said of His disciples: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."(John 17:16).

C.S. Lewis nails it.
I'm not going to dissect the song and examine it too closely... It's not a statement of theology. In fact, the words imply that the singer may not cling to any specific creed: "And now I know there are no secret tricks. No correct politics. Just liars and lunatics."

I do kind of agree with this ... after all, there ARE no secret tricks... I'M not keeping it a secret, anyway. That is, I'm telling you right now... it's just Jesus. And as for politics, I know devout, well-meaning Christians on each end of the political spectrum and at every point in between. It's just the following line I have trouble with... I mean, ever heard that adage that since Jesus said He was the Son of God, He was either 1. the Son of God, or 2. a liar, or 3. a lunatic? I think we know which side I come down on here.

So, I'm not going to dwell on that part of the song. I'm just going to say that the singer's longing for heaven is a "tell" in itself. C.S. Lewis says in Mere Christianity, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

My lovely sister, Eve, posted this video, saying, "This is how I envision heaven..." and I couldn't agree more! Finally with the One we love in the home we never had.

http://www.bigmouthagain.com/2013/09/this-is-my-song-of-joy.html

 

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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