Thinking about life

I've been thinking about why life is great. Must be the season. How could you not be thrilled by life when you are contemplating the mystery of God become man? Wow, good times. Being off school has allowed me the time to listen to tons of music. Also, good times. There is a song by (the secular artist) Blackalicious called "Make You Feel That Way." The first time I heard the song, I was like, "word, uplifting song!" But when I think about Jesus, his incarnation, his sinless life, his substitutionary death, and resurrection, the Blackalicious song is just depressing. Let me explain why.

The whole song is about things that supposedly make the artist "feel that way."

The first words are, "up and early for the hope of a brand new day." Without Christ, I would be waking up every morning to a day hopelessly void of meaning. The rest of the verse talks about how great it feels getting a new hair cut, or seeing a old friend, or getting promoted, or finding a hundred dollar bill, or going on a great date.

The most depressing part of the verse is the part when he says, "Plan a long time finally a plan has made it/Time I feel I want to shout/man it's real that way/wanna think of things that make you feel that way." I think he's wrong. None of that stuff makes anything real.

Later in the song, he says, "said a pray that was sincere and you felt it work." Wrong. How can uttering words or thoughts into the sky about what you want change anything in reality. That might be the most depressing part of the song. False hope. Praying to a deity of your own creation does nothing.

The last verse is hopelessly unhelpful.

Bad day'll make you really notice ones that's good
And that'll make things a little better understood
Times a feel I wanna shout, man it's real that way
When I think of things that make you feel that way.

Live for the good days. And try to learn from the bad days. Is that the answer? Thank God, no.

We're singing this song (below) on Sunday. I'm glad. Here are words of life.

King of heaven now the Friend of sinners,
Humble servant in the Father's hands,
Filled with power and the Holy Spirit,
Filled with mercy for the broken man.
He walked my road and He felt my pain,
Joys and sorrows that I know so well;
Yet His righteous steps give me hope again -
I will follow my Immanuel!

Through the kisses of a friend's betrayal,
He was lifted on a cruel cross;
He was punished for a world's transgressions,
He was suffering to save the lost.
He fights for breath, He fights for me,
Loosing sinners from the claims of hell;
And with a shout our souls are free -
Death defeated by Immanuel!

Taken from From the Squalor of a Borrowed Stable by Stuart Townend