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Category Archives: Hymns and Songs

“What Child Is This?”

22 Dec

“What Child Is This?”

What child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King
Whom Shepherds guard
And Angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox amd ass are feeding?
Good Christian fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king, to own him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

Dear God, the first two verses of this song are full of questions. Who is this? I know he’s special, but who is this? Angels are singing for him. Shepherds are guarding him. Why is he lying in such a “mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?”

Then the answer comes back. Oh, who is this? Well, let me tell you. This baby that the shepherds are guarding and about whom the angels are singing is Christ the King. You should quickly worship and honor him, this son of Mary.

So now the questioner seemingly becomes the commander in verse three. Bring him gifts (with a reference to the wise men). It doesn’t matter whether you are a peasant or a king, he is yours. He is your King. Accept the salvation he brings and enthroned him in your life.

I watched video yesterday of a politician who was asked flat out if he had ever asked you for forgiveness and he responded, “That’s a hard question.” Then he ultimately answered that he never had and had never found a reason to. I don’t think that man could ever sing these words–at least and mean them. But before I get too judgmental, can I? Do I really enthrone you?

I was thinking about my worship of you on my way into church this morning. There is no tragedy driving me to my knees right now. No great sin in my life (although there are plenty of little ones). My worship of you right now is not naturally driven through desperation’s. It is a conscious choice. But is it a choice I am making often enough? Do you smile when you think of me and our relationship?

Father, this Christ the King, of whom angels sing, is my God. He is you. He is part of you. Holy Spirit, you are this same Jesus and Father as well. Out of pure gratitude (like the 10th leper who returned to say thank you) I come to you and thank you for everything. I am truly grateful.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Angels We Have Heard On High”

21 Dec

“Angels We Have Heard On High”

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

See within in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary, Joseph lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

https://youtu.be/WHWqj6gKS9g

Dear God, I know I just said this in another prayer, but it is fascinating that it is the shepherds that got the angel visit. The angel visited Zechariah, Mary, Joseph (multiple times), and the shepherds. I think that’s it. The shepherds. One angel shows up while the shepherds are “keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8b). Your glory reflected off of the angel and it scared them.

But what if the angel had gone somewhere else? What if he had shown up at the high priest’s home? The governor? The innkeeper for crying out loud? All of these people would probably have messed up the plan. The priest wouldn’t have trusted Mary and Joseph to raise the child. The governor probably would have killed him. And the innkeeper…well, I’m sure he would have messed things up too.

And then when the angel is done with his message, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,” in their best Latin, “Gloria, In Excelsis Deo!” We see movies that depict Santa and the elves every Christmas Eve getting ready for Christmas. The excitement and joy they are about to unleash on the world is palpable. It’s hard for me to imagine the reality of how the angels felt to watch Jesus come down and enter time and space as a human. He would live a simple life with a tragic and then glorious end, but, in the meantime, the world needed confirmation beyond just what Mary and Joseph knew. We needed to know that someone else had an angel visit. Someone with no skin in the game. The shepherds from that night, while their names are lost to history, are still a huge part of our story (and every church Christmas pageant) today.

Father, I am sure I will hear this song at a Christmas Eve service on Tuesday. It’s a staple. Frankly, it’s never been a favorite of mine, but it is a good reminder that these shepherds and this incident are a critical and strategic part of the plan. Thank you for thinking of everything.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 21, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Away in a Manger”

19 Dec

“Away in a Manger”

Away in a manger
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
‘Til morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there

https://youtu.be/_gxgrAqxPcI

Dear God, I most associate this song with children bits not really a children’s song, but I think there’s something about it that is comforting to children. It’s almost like a lullaby.

I was thinking about this song yesterday and thinking once again about your alternatives for Jesus’s earthly experience. I say once again because this is something I’ve thought about before.

In terms of Jesus’s family you could have chosen a wealthy family. You could have chosen to make him David’s actual child. You could have made him the child of the high priest. You had a lot of choices. If you’d have asked me to lay out the plan I’d have probably picked the best high priest I could find. That would make sense, right? Instead, you chose a girl and a man who seemingly had nothing going for them. But you needed not only their humility and character to be Jesus’s parents. You also needed the flexibility and obedience. They had to be willing to escape to Egypt to avoid Herod. Also, Jesus in the home of an important person would not have grown up with an up close and personal look at the poor.

Then there’s how he was born. “Away in a Manger.” Why were the only witnesses shepherds? Why was he in a barn, sleeping on hay? Would it have been so bad to have been in an inn? Starting with the shepherds, I just love the fact that they are they ones the angels went to. They didn’t appear to the church leaders and say, “Unto you is born in the city of David…” They didn’t appear to Herod. They went to shepherds. And even though the Bible indicates that after they saw the baby they went all over town telling people, it doesn’t appear that the word really got out about Jesus. It says in Luke 2 that “all were amazed” when they heard the shepherds’ story, but I have to wonder if they weren’t respected enough to really be believed. But by appearing to these guys and having them show up, I’m sure it was a huge encouragement to Mary and Joseph. And you know my theory that Mary and Joseph had probably been camping near Bethlehem and might have even been known by the shepherds. I’m sure they knew that particular barn.

Father, all of this is to say, your ways are not my ways, and your wisdom is much grander than mine. I would have done this very differently and it would have been a mess. So as I look at my own life, the personal and professional decisions I have to make, and even how I evaluate the decisions of others, help me to lean not on my own understanding, but to lean into your wisdom and listen for your still, small voice.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Angles We Have Heard on High”

18 Dec

“Angels We Have Heard on High”

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See Him in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

https://youtu.be/WHWqj6gKS9g

Dear God, this has probably become the most ubiquitous Christmas hymn of our generation. If I were to survey all of the Christmas Eve services in our town, I would bet that over 90% of them would use this song. It is as much of a standard as “Silent Night” (which I’m saving for Christmas Eve).

So let’s see what we have here. First, I’ll just say that I love the idea of spending some time with the shepherds. In this song, the angels show up in the first verse and I presume we are singing from the shepherds’ perspective because they are the ones who heard the angels singing o’er the plains.

Next, a part of the story that is often overlooked is how the shepherds went throughout Bethlehem telling people what they had seen the night before. Did they start singing too? The writer of this hymn seems to think they did.

The third verse is apparently the shepherds inviting people to come to Bethlehem to see what they just heard the angels singing about. And they recognize the baby is to be worshipped because they call him Christ and of the bended-knee part. And I just made sure that in Luke 2:11 the angel does, indeed refer you Jesus as the Messiah.

As far as verse four goes, I’ve always liked the idea that the shepherds’ arrival and story would be a great affirmation to Mary and Joseph, who had to be scared and insecure about how this night had turned out. Personally, I can think of several times that you have given me an affirmation that I’ve needed

Father, as I close, I have an old friend from my Waco days who is in the hospital for intestinal blockage. Please be with him. Be with the doctors. Heal him. Clear the blockage and make him as comfortable as possible. Strengthen his wife and his children. Give them encouragement and affirmation in the midst of this trial. Help them to tangibly feel your presence.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts

16 Dec

“Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts (Arr. from George F. Handel)

Joy to the World! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart
Prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and Nature sing
And heaven, and heaven
and nature sing

Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns
Let me their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat
The sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as
The curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of
His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders
Of His love

Dear God, here’s a classic that I remember hearing a lot when my mom would play Christmas music when I was little. I have to say that I listened to several versions of this on YouTube before I found the link above, but the only one I wanted to hear was the full choir version. It’s just the one that I know best and that sounds right.

So let’s see what I notice in these lyrics that I’ve missed before:

  • Verse 1: This one is just straight forward and the one that most people reading this will know without having to look at the words. But what’s it implore us to do. First, we should be full of joy because you came to earth! We should receive you. On an individual level, we should “prepare” room for you. Sidebar, I think the idea of preparing room for your is important. We don’t just welcome you into our heart, but we prepare the space for you like space is prepared for a guest staying in our home. We clean. We purge. We throw things away. The same is true for our hearts. We need to prepare room for you and that includes repenting and turning from sin. And, of course, while we do this, heaven and nature will be singing about this wonderful news.
  • Verse 2: This verse makes me think of the verse in Luke 19:40 when Jesus says that if the people stopped praising then the rocks would cry out. We need to praise you with songs and acclamation because the fields, waters, rocks, hills, and plains are already doing it.
  • Verse 3: Going back to verse 1, this verse gets into preparing our hearts (the soil of our hearts) for you. This reminds me of the journal I did several weeks ago about the parable of the sower and how we need to be continually weeding and removing the thorns from the soil of our hearts to ensure that your Spirit has a place to grow and return the highest yield possible.
  • Verse 4: I’ve got to say, I don’t know about this verse. Perhaps this is post-tribulation, but it doesn’t feel like you are ruling the earth. Of course, you are the author and creator. You made us all. And you are truth and grace. But right now the nations are not proving the glories of our righteousness or the wonders of your love.

Father, once again, I am left thinking that I need to constantly be preparing room for you in my heart. It’s a moment by moment thing and not just something I do once. And I also need to remember the joy of all of this. You came! You lived! You Sacrificed and Won! You will reign forever! Let me be filled with joy!

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 16, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“O Little Town of Bethlehem”

15 Dec

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Lewis H. Redner

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O Morning Stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently
The wondrous Gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in the world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in

O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin, and enter in
Be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Immanuel!

https://youtu.be/CwfkGj51S2c

Dear God, I copied this from a Baptist hymnal from 1956 (this song would have been less than 100 years old then). As I typed it, what I found most interesting was the use of exclamation marks. What does Redner emphasize?

  • O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! He finds it remarkable how still the town is on that night. Now, he doesn’t know this, but that’s how he envisions it. Just another night in a little town. They have no idea what is happening. How still everything is!
  • O Morning Stars, together, Proclaim the holy birth, and praise sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth! The star. Sometimes I forget about how the stars aligned that night to fulfill the prophecy. And through their alignment, they were announcing peace on earth! What does that peace mean? Certainly not between ourselves. But it does mean the potential for peace between all of us and you.
  • How silently, how silently, The wondrous Gift is given! Again with the silence of the whole thing. The unassuming nature of the whole thing. Somewhere in town, a woman gave birth. Later in the night (or the next morning), some shepherds would be going around and talking about what they saw, but, in the meantime, the most amazing Christmas present ever had finally arrived and it came in relative silence.
  • O holy Child of Bethlehem! Just an emphatic proclamation of who Jesus is and his worth. The exclamation point there turns that one sentence into worship.
  • Be born in us today! This verse is the first time Redner brings the song into our modern times and out of the period. This is the verse that gives the pronouns “we” and “us.” We become participants in the story. As we sing, we ask that you not only be born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but that you will be born in us today!
  • O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel! And this is our prayer. We acknowledge the story. We accept the story. And now we ask that you will become part of our own story. The other verses have one exclamation point each. This one has three. I don’t think that is coincidence.

Father, be born in me today. Cast out my sin and enter in. Abide with me, my Lord, Immanuel.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 15, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

14 Dec

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God our heav’nly Father
A blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brougth tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name

O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

“Fear not, then,” said the angel,
“Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior
Of virgin pure and bright
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan’s pow’r and might.”

O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place
And with true love and charity
Each other now embrace
This holy tide of Christmas
Is filled with heav’nly grace

O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Dear God, I’m not sure why I picked this hymn this morning. It’s never been one of my favorites, necessarily. I just heard it yesterday and the phrase, “To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray,” struck me and I thought that maybe there was something here I should notice.

  • Verse 1: I’ve never noticed the word “rest.” Don’t be anxious. Don’t be dismayed. Rest. Rest. Just remember that Jesus was born to save us from all of this, even when we are gone astray, and rest. Hmm. I like that. And we don’t rest ourselves. You are the one that has given us rest.
  • Verse 2: You told the shepherds to rest too. They were like us. Working. Surviving. Struggling. And the good news that the angels brought them was to give them rest and tidings of comfort and joy. Not just joy, but comfort. The same is true for us in verse 1.
  • Verse 3: This whole verse is a quote from the angels (as written by the author). Fear not. Don’t be afraid. Jesus is born of a virgin to free those who trust in him from Satan’s power and might. I don’t know why this says about salvation, if anything, but I do know that the key to being free of Satan’s power here on earth is to trust in Jesus and receive the grace he provides.
  • Verse 4: So now that we know this, we are to worship you, love each other, and extend charity.

Father, help me today to worship you, love others, and extend charity. Thank you for this glad tidings of comfort and joy.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (“Adeste Fideles”)

13 Dec

“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (“Adeste Fideles”) by John F. Wade

O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

Sing choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God
All glory in the highest
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

Yea, Lord we greet thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

https://youtu.be/z51apErmAuw

Dear God, okay, I already saw a couple of things in this song while I was typing out these lyrics (as provided in a Catholic hymnal) that I hadn’t noticed before.

  • This first verse is inviting the humans to come and see what has happened. But not just any humans. The faithful ones. And when you come, don’t only come joyfully, but triumphantly as well. This child’s birth (and eventual life, death and resurrection) has given us the victory. The victory over our own sin. The victory over Satan. The eventual victory over death. And don’t be deceived by the fact that it’s a baby. This baby is the King of angels. We should come and adore Him because He is the Christ.
  • The second verse is for the angels. Sing angels! Sing in exultation. If you’re a citizen in heaven, it’s your turn to sing too. Now we get a phrase we hear a lot in Christmas songs when it comes to the angels singing: “Glory to God.” Yes, all glory to you, Father.
  • In the third verse we get to sing directly to Jesus and greet the new baby. Not only to the angels give you glory, but we give it too. And then here’s the thing I never noticed before. We get John 1:1 here: “In the beginning was the Word…” I never realized that the write of this song referenced John 1 at the end of verse three: “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.” The Word become flesh.

Father, I want to learn how to adore you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit more and more. I want to be one of the faithful. I want to really adore you, and I want to encourage others to do the same. As always, I ask that you help me to draw closer to you through my worship of you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2019 in Christmas Hymns, Hymns and Songs

 

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“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” by Fred Rogers

01 Dec

https://youtu.be/_biMtzAxiy0

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” by Fred Rogers

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Could you be mine?
Would you be mine?

It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood
A neighborly day for a beauty
Could you be mine?
Would you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you

Let’s make the most of this beautiful day
Since we’re together, might as well say
Would you be my, could you be my
Won’t you be my neighbor?

Won’t you be? Won’t you please?
Please won’t you be my neighbor?

Dear God, such positivity! There is so much positivity in this song. As I think about Fred Rogers (a.k.a. Mr. Rogers) sitting down to write this song for the opening of his children’s show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, I am trying to get myself into his process for coming up with these lyrics.

  • What do children of every background need to hear?
  • There will be some children watching this show that live in poverty that watch this show. What do they need to hear?
  • Some of the children watching this show will live in scary situations. What do they need to hear?
  • Some of the children will have it all (in a good way). What do they need to hear?

The thing about Mr. Rogers is that he communicated to every person that they were wanted and worthwhile. “It’s not only a beautiful day, but it’s a beautiful day to have a friend. Not only can you be my friend, but will you be my friend? I’ve always wanted to have a friend just like you. I’ve always wanted to live near you.”

Then he almost depersonalize it and opens up the possibility that anyone can be friends. “Since we are together, let’s make the most of the fact that we are together and be friends in this moment.”

I am like many people who were young from the 60s through the 90s. I used to watch this show. If you asked me to rate Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and The Electric Company, as a child I would have put Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood last among the three because it moved a little slow and was quieter, but there were a couple of aspects I loved. I always loved the model of the neighborhood that the camera would scan over as it seems to lead Mr. Rogers to his own front door. And I loved Trolley and the Land of Make Believe. I can’t tell you why, but I loved that trolley and how it would go through that tunnel. In retrospect, however, what appeals to me from my memories is the gentleness and the sense of being wanted. And I was a loved child, so it’s not like I had a big hole in my heart where that is concerned. But it’s still nice to feel wanted.

Father, as I go through my life at work tomorrow, help me to express this emotion to others. Help me to let them feel wanted by me. Help me to listen and hear them in a new way. Help me to let you shine through me. Help me to communicate to them how much you love and want them. Mr. Rogers was your ambassador to the world, whether the world knew it or not. Help me to be that ambassador as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 1, 2019 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay

20 Oct

“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers And Coldplay

I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold
Hercules and his gifts
Spiderman’s control
And Batman with his fists
And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list

But she said, where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
I want something just like this

I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
The testaments they told
The moon and its eclipse
And Superman unrolls
A suit before he lifts
But I’m not the kind of person that it fits

She said, where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can miss

I want something just like this
I want something just like this
I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo

Where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Andrew Taggart / Guy Berryman / Chris Martin / Jonny Buckland / Will Champion

Dear God, I was listening to this song yesterday and I thought there might be something deeply profound in it to explore. I guess the thesis of my thoughts on it is that, maybe especially guys, want to do something great and even heroic, but the pursuit of that can create a lot of problems.

I guess the first question would be to ask why we love superheroes so much. And it goes back beyond Marvel and DC Comics. Look at Norse or Greek Mythology. People have always created something greater than humans to look to for hope. I think it’s probably the search for you. You’re there. We inherently know that our God is out there. Thankfully, you revealed yourself through Abraham and eventually Jesus so that we could start to figure out our roles in the world and your kingdom.

Now I recognize that a secular person reading this would accuse me of doing the same thing with you that the Greeks did with Zeus and the other Greek gods–fabricating something that’s unreal to believe in. But I’d argue back that the built in hunger for a God throughout humanity’s history points to your existence. But I don’t want to get sidetracked with this. Suffice it to say, I hear that criticism and I understand that that’s how it looks to some.

I think the main message that I take from this song is that I don’t need to try so hard to do something amazing. That’s not what the people around me need from me. That’s not what you need from me. You just need me to show up, keep grinding, and be faithful. That’s what the people in my life need too. If I were always trying to look for my fulfillment and purpose somewhere out there, I can see my wife saying the words of the chorus of this song:

Where’d you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts; some superhero, some fairytale bliss. Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss. I want something just like this.

Father, I think that’s where we are most valuable to you. Just in the simple things. Showing up to pray to you. To study your Word. To love our spouses, parent our children, and be your presence to those in our path. To make a difference here and there, making the earth, or at least one small piece of it, better than we found it, but through simple obedience and not the pursuit of self-aggrandizement. Help me to be all of those things for your glory’s sake and my peace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2019 in Hymns and Songs

 

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