I recently viewed the NOOMA video “Rhythm” and plan to show it this Sunday to our students. See a clip here. In it Rob Bell describes who God is and what He is doing as a song. I really like and appreciate the metaphor. It has really had me thinking.
God desires us, the church, to be in tune with Him. To be a part of the song. There is something very beautiful about being in tune with the song of God.
I love a good song, a song that is well crafted and masterfully played. On the flip side, when a song is poorly crafted and poorly performed I don’t want to listen. I am repelled.
The more we as His church get in tune with Him, and begin to play His song, the more attractive the song will be to the world. The more out of tune we are the less the world will be attracted to Him.
Just as there are different elements to a song, melody, rhythm, pitch meter, lyrics, there are different elements of God’s song that He desires us to be in tune with. Elements of truth, justice, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrifice are what He desires of us. When all these are in play in the life of the church then God’s song is as irresistible, and beautiful, music.
Jesus us told us that He has come that we might have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10). It is when we are tune with who God is and what He is doing that we experience that full life.
In this season of Easter may we recognize the why of Christ’s resurrection. May we hear the beautiful song and join in. May we remain in tune.
In Tune
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5 comments:
Rob Bell is the bomb. Have you read Velvet Elvis? I tink he wrote that
Haven't read it yet but it's on my "must read" list. And yes he wrote it.
My hero Frank Laubach wrote this back in 1930 that shows this rhythm, this song: "I must witness that people are treating me differently (as he is praying in secret for them). Obstacles which I once would have regarded as insurmountable are melting away like a mirage. People are becoming friendly who suspected or neglected me. I feel, I feel like one who has had his violin out of tune with the orchestra and at last is in harmony with the music of the universe...I was half dead...until I reached the place where I wholly, with utter honesty, resolved and then re-resolved that I would find God's will, and I would do God's will though every fiber in me said no, and I would win the battle in my thoughts." He sought to place himself in the song and then continually check his tuning...Rob Bell does a great job of challenging the same thing...
I only have one question: What does Rob Bell mean when he says, "Jesus is like a song"?
I don't know what Rob Bell meant, but when I think of that statement I think that Jesus is expressive, beautiful and heartfelt. He is emotional and reaches out to people of all kinds. He is something that touches our inner being. He is a song that reaches us where we can be reached.
But that's just my opinion.
"God desires us, the church, to be in tune with Him. To be a part of the song."
I went to a band concert last weekend. The concert started out with the 5th grader band. Their first song, well, kind of sucked, but their second song was pretty good for a bunch of 5th graders. I think it was because they really liked that song.
One of those 5th graders is in my church, and he was so proud of himself and his band. I was awfully proud of him, too, even though if I didn't know kids in it, I would rather not have the privilege of hearing them...
I think that sometimes the church can be like that 5th grade band. It can be painful to hear it, but those who are involved can see (hear) the beauty within. They can see the growth from the 5th graders through to the high schoolers and even embrace some of the "at least they're trying" moments.
Maybe this is more "practical" than theological or theoretical...
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