Friday, June 15, 2007

counter-culture

this summer, our church is doing a series on "counter-culture christianity." even though i've heard so many times that we are to be "in the world, but not of it," these lessons always seems so much more real when seen in my own life. even though i wish i could learn by simply reading the words on the pages of my bible, i'm glad God gives me the visual reminders that serve as the lessons i need.

today i was taught the lesson of what freedom really looks like. we're told that happiness will happen when we have the latest [fill in the blank]. these messages can be subtle as a line in a movie or blatant as a billboard, but it is easy to buy into the idea that stuff brings satisfaction and contentment. i know growing up during the depression influenced poppop's habits and purchasing choices, but i can't help but think that he too bought into this belief. as i hung up almost all of his 124 shirts to (hopefully!) be sold/given away tomorrow, i was sad for several reasons. the first was the obvious sadness of knowing poppop would never wear the shirts again. i didn't like seeing his favorite shirts without him. the second reason was the realization that having so much stuff brings about bondage, as the number of shirts is just one of the many examples to be found in the garage and house being prepared for the sale. it made me sad to think that he was unknowingly not truly free as he held onto so much stuff unnecessarily. there was no possible way for him to wear, use or much less enjoy all of the things we are discovering in his absence. even though it isn't what our culture teaches, i am venturing to believe that freedom comes, not from stuff, but from God. i am far from having this lesson applied to my own life, but i think i'm going to start by memorizing this verse...and maybe cleaning out my closet better than i ever have before:

"yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. after all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. so if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content."
1 timothy 6:6-8

and can i mention how much i love brooke fraser? i find her lyrics filled with truth, her heart bursting with righteous causes and her voice passionately and genuinely praising God with sweet melodies. today on the way home from the service, mommy, john and i listened to the soundtrack for moulin rouge. while hollywood attempts to distinguish between love and sex with this film and its music, the blurry confusion about pre-marital sex remains. no matter how "sweet" the music is, it seems to reinforce the message that freedom is found in sexual activity, in any context where "love" is found.

brooke fraser has a song called "love is waiting." although waiting is hard, God makes it clear that true freedom is found by following his plan. i know jeremiah 29:11 is quoted at every graduation ceremony and casually said so often that it is no longer meaningful, but i feel like this verse helps to show the desire of God for our lives. he wants the very best for us when we seek after him and choose life. i love the lyrics of "love is waiting" and find hope as i also wait, because i am also trusting.

on the autumn on the ground/between the traffic and the ordinary sounds/i am thinking signs and seasons/while a north wind blows through/i watch as lovers pass me by/walking stories, who's and how's and why's/musing lazily on love, pondering you/let's give it time, give it space/and be still for a spell/when it's time to walk that way/we wanna walk it well


i'll be waiting for you baby/i'll be holding back the darkest night/love is waiting `til we're ready/'til it's right/love is waiting

it's my caution not the cold/there's no other hand that i would rather hold/the climate changes, i'm singing for strangers about you/don't keep time, slow the pace/honey hold on if you can/the bets are getting surer now/that you're my man

i could write a million songs about the way you say my name/i could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again/and like i can't force the sun to rise/or hasten summer's start/neither should I rush my way into your heart

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