Great Drive To Work...

So I tried something different on my drive to work this morning.

Instead of just hitting shuffle on my iPod I decided to have a bit of a Keith Green marathon. I just chose the artist and hit random play.

The music, the words, the meaning, the theology of Keith Green’s stuff drills me to the core every time. He is probably the most amazingly humble and passionate men of God of our modern era. It’s amazing how even 25 years after his death (he died the year I was born) his music still challenges, teaches, inspires and shows such a pure example of what a Christ follower should be.

At AGMF last year I saw and almost bought a shirt that had a silhouette of his face and massive hair with the words “Listen To Keith Green Music” on it. Even at a store which was purely aimed at the youth Christian music scene this shirt hanging there, a testimony to his impact on the world. So this morning with all that music creating such a Spiritual atmosphere I felt like I was in a 'God momment' all the way from Ipswich to Eight Mile Plains.

Actually this morning; the thing I really noticed was those hard hitting phrases he seemed to include in so many of his songs.

Like;

To obey is better than sacrifice.
I want more than Sunday and Wednesday nights,
Cause if you can't come to me every day,
Then don't bother coming at all.
(To Obey Is Better Than Sacrafice)

and…

Oh Lord, you said the harvest was great,
But Lord, looks like the workers are late.
It's getting hard to understand,
How they ignore your great command.
(Here I Am, Send Me)

and…

You know you're gonna find out that He's the way,
no matter which way you choose,
But I pray you find out by His love for you.

Some people won't find out till it's too late
(Altar Call)

It’s funny though, it seems before he became a Christian he wrote some great songs about Jesus and Bible stories (Prodigal Son Suite, On the Road to Jericho and Song for My Parents), and after he decided that it was Christianity that was the way (Jesus as God), not just Jesus as a good person – he wrote some songs really challenging the way the church thinks like To Obey is Better than Sacrifice, and Asleep in the Light.

Actually I think Asleep in the Light is the most challenging song of all time. It really moves me every single time I hear it! So even though I think I’ve quoted it here before, I’m gonna do it again to finish off this post… it seems to sum up Keith’s feelings about the church pretty well, and I still see it in churches these days 25 years later. It’s a shame, and I pray I will be so real, that my example can do something about it…

Asleep In The Light

Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,
Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown,
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.

Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know it's all I ever hear,
No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear,
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs,
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in, oh, can't you see it's such sin?

Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away, as you smile and say,
God bless you, be at peace, and all Heaven just weeps,
Cause Jesus came to your door, you've left Him out on the streets.

Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You've seen the need, you hear the cry, so how can you delay,
God's calling and you're the one, but like Jonah you run,
He's told you to speak, but you keep holding it in,

Oh, can't you see it's such sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark,
That the church can't fight, cause it's asleep in the light,
How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed,
Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can't even get out of bed,
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on, get out of your bed.

How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,
Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done.

Come away, come away, come away with Me, My love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, My love.

Man at the end there it’s almost like he’s calling people away from the mess that is the modern church, he was never one to hold back to save someone’s feelings if you’re wrong you knew it with Keith.

Maybe we’re just too afraid to hurt people’s feelings these days to be truly real?