Songs

Just reading 2 Samuel 12:7-13 where Nathan is rebuking David. I was floored by God's response to David:

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'"
David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die." (ESV)

I still can't believe that God would bother to comfort David in the middle of a rebuke. How kind and compassionate is our LORD to his children even when we have "utterly scorned" him.

I owe You my life, LORD. Until I give it all, please take my heart as I offer it to you.

I was listening to some "Xian" music whilst reading this and as I wept before the LORD for his goodness and compassion toward me and my sin, I listened to the lyrics of the song. Of course, they were not as deep as what I just read, but thinking through my selection of "Xian" music, I can only think of a few songs as honest about our sin and God's grace in such an emotive way as this passage. Pedro strikes this tone often, but with a very jaded and cynical flair, possibly lacking the reverence the Lord deserves, possibly not. Rich Mullins strikes this tone well, but I don't care too much for his music...lyrics are still great. Ooh, there's always Over the Rhine, but I'm too enamored by their music and Karin's voice to truly listen to the lyrics so far. Hmm, oh yes, there it is - Jars of Clay's Who We Are Instead...that's the one. I just wish there were more Christian artists seeking to touch the deeper, harder, dirtier parts of Christianity where God meets us so honestly. Oh, wait, if you haven't heard of Beth Wacome Keck's album Amazed , you must listen to that - the epitome of honest music, bared down to it's essentials. You can find it here.

Current praise music is okay, but still does not compare to the depth of feeling the Bible leads us to. Even the Psalms included different forms of "praise", including laments and imprecatory prayers. Why must we be so limited in the Evangelical world? I wish I could write music as well as I can whine - you'd all be extremely blessed.