Last week I was hanging out with a very dear friend of mine before he moved to Virginia for the summer with a group of people from my old church. We were talking about several things and at one point we started talking about music and lyrics and such. Most of it was music we listened to as kids and were embarrassed to admit that we may or may not still like these artists a bit!
For the most part we were talking about 90's CCM. Artists like Micheal W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Amy Grant. I mentioned that Amy Grant has recently come out with another album and single. The single, I've heard on the radio quite frequently, called "Better than a Hallelujah". I was talking about how, if you would have asked me a few months ago what I thought of the song, I probably would have said that I whole-heartedly agreed with it. Now, however, I'm not so sure.
Here's the video to the song:
When I first heard the song, my biggest issue with it was with the line "How beautiful the mess we are with honest cries of breaking hearts..." then as I listened to it more and more and my issues with it grew. I don't think God find's the "mess we are" something beautiful. It's a distortion of the original creation and is a result of sin. Sin is anything BUT beautiful to God.
I think that God does want us to be honest with Him in our prayers. If things are tough I think He wants us to be honest about how tough things are. Just read Psalms and Lamentations if you don't believe me! One thing to point out, however, is that in both of those books, and others as well, the author(s) is(are) honest about his afflictions, but at the same time, recognizes the sovereignty and the grace, love, and faithfulness of God.
As far as the song itself, I would still agree with it to a point, but it needs to be expanded. I'm not pretending to understand the character of God, and to know exactly what He wants, but from my understanding, thus far, of scripture, supplemented by conversations with people smarter and more well read than I, it seems to me that what God would prefer most from people are expressions of genuine praise and worship despite trials, and hardships and such.
Not to say that we should never just "vent" to God, or scream our frustrations (as I have done on many occasions), but I would not go so far to say that God would prefer such expressions over worship and adoration. (Who would really?)
I think what I'm trying to say is this: There should be a balance between "Honest cries of breaking hearts" and exclamations of praise despite hardships.
I admit that I still have a lot to learn which is why in one of the above paragraphs I didn't simply say scripture was my sole source of understanding God. It is my hope that as I learn more about God I'll be able to discern better for myself what is and what is not of God, but who knows when that'll happen!
"I don't think God find's the 'mess we are' something beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo what are you trying to say? 'That it's a beautiful letdown'?
But seriously.. :)
"It's a distortion of the original creation and is a result of sin. Sin is anything BUT beautiful to God."
I think we could both agree that those lyrics have the Christian in mind, and not a non-Christian, correct? I can see what you are talking about, but I can also see the other side just as well. It's just a matter of perspective for me.
When God 'looks' at a Christian, what does he see? Failure? Ultimately Jesus? Disobedience? Righteousness? Perfection through Christ?
If God sees me as perfect through Christ, how can this be? Really? How does God REALLY see me as made perfect in Christ through faith and trust in him? I think we can all agree I'm on the opposite side of perfect, and yet God sees me through the lens of Christ taking my place? In what sense? Just when I die or when Judgment comes? Now?
So how can I be made perfect but yet be so horribly far away from being perfect by nature of acts and thoughts and such? Perfection is made through the Gospel of Jesus Christ's saving work while compared to the law, I am imperfect in my actions, attitudes, etc. What I do is imperfect. What Christ does in my place is perfection.
So, how does this tie in with my former thoughts of perspective?
Is this the dual nature that Amy is referring to? We are broken, sinful, and imperfect (according to the law), and yet we are perfect and beautiful in Christ (according to the Gospel with saving faith). When God looks at us, can he see these two dualities? Compared to the law we are sinful and broken but compared to faith in Christ we are beautiful?
Thoughts on these thoughts? What misplaced assumptions might I have made?
I think what you're asking about as far as are we perfect now in God's eyes or are we still sinners, you're asking about justification and sanctification, which is a pretty new concept to me and I don't claim to fully understand it.
ReplyDeleteIf my understanding of the difference is correct, God sees us as justified, as in our sins are paid for/covered by the blood of Christ, and we are being sanctified, in that we are going through a lifelong process of becoming more like Him.
Sanctification does not equate salvation, but it is evidence, or fruit, of it. We are not perfect (ie sanctified) until we are in Heaven with God, Himself.
As far as what Amy was referring to, I'm really not sure, but the impression that I was getting is that God sees beauty in our mess, our transgressions, our sins, without justification or sanctification, (which is what I'm disagreeing with) but I guess this could be one of those rare occasions where I'm wrong! ;)
If Amy was/is indeed referring to:
ReplyDelete"beauty in our mess, our transgressions, our sins, without justification or sanctification..." [my emphasis]
Then that would seem to apply to ANY and ALL people and it would be the same whether you are a Christian, a Jew, a pagan, etc. (i.e., we all look beautiful to God whether we have Christ or not). Is that true or not?
By beauty, are we referring to something specific about us, overall aspect of us, etc? Are we beautiful in and of ourselves? In what way yes, in what way no?
It's recorded that when God created everything he called it good. Did he see his creation as beautiful? Yes, but you would also add in the fall, when man fell from his perfect state. Was man beautiful before that and then he became ugly/not beautiful? Are we referring to beauty only in terms of sin?
When God looks at the work of his creation, does he see any beauty in it? What about the labeled spiritual creations (humans)? A Christian? A non-Christian? Does beauty = perfection = sinless?
I've probably asked too many questions ;) Most are rhetorical while others not so much. I'll let you decide :)
I'd have to listen through the song a few times to get a better perception of what I might think she's really trying to say.
That's a lot of questions... I'm not really sure where to begin.
ReplyDeleteI would assume that in the song, Amy is referring to believers pouring out their hurts to God (which in and of itself is fine), but the way she words it, it certainly sounds like God finds the mess we are beautiful no matter where we stand (or don't stand) with Him, regardless of our relationship with His Son.
We are beautiful because we are fearfully and wonderfully made - does that apply to all people, or only the saints? I don't know. I would think just the saints (believers), but I could be wrong.
When God created everything, yes, it was good. He did not make mistakes, and I would say that in this case, "good" is synonymous with beautiful, but as you pointed out, there was the fall, which affected not only humans, but all of creation. Sin taints beauty, therefore, once sin was introduced and caused the fall, beauty was lost. Not all of it necessarily, but there was beauty in the perfection of creation, and once sin entered it, that beauty was lost.
Not sure if that really answered your questions or just went around in circles, and I"m sure as I read and learn more, those answers will change, but that's what I've got for now!
My first thought after listening to the song was: Where is Christ in all this?
ReplyDeleteYes, I know that there are images of the Cross and of Mary Magdalene falling at Jesus' feet in the video. However, there is no context whatever for these images. (Since it's a YouTube video I'm not sure if it's "official" or just something put together by a fan.)
There is no mention at all in the song of WHY we are able to approach God in such raw and honest ways. Only because of Christ's perfect life, death and resurrection for our sins can we approach God as our dear Father and call on Him in every trouble.
This song falls into the dangerous trap that evangelicalism in general falls into in our time: assuming the Gospel. "Everyone knows THAT already...no need to say anything further about it." And we wonder why a shocking percentage of evangelicals polled don't even understand what the Gospel IS. The cross becomes some sort of vaguely sentimental, inspirational image to demonstrate that "God loves you anyway."
I can agree with that :)
ReplyDeleteDawn, I think you hit the nail on the head! I knew the song didn't sit well with me, but I think I was focusing on the wrong reason why it didn't sit well with me. Thanks for being discerning enough to see the real issue!
ReplyDeleteP.S. it's a fan video, I don't think there is an official one, at least, not that I could find.