Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Sometimes, I Just Don't GET You


There's a danger in writing a blog with the title Truth Is....

One, you may get people thinking you know everything and are an authority on all things relating to Spiritual Truth.


Two, you may start thinking that stuff about yourself.


I suppose those same two dangers are present for Christian artists...especially Christian artists like Rich Mullins, who sometimes spent as much time talking during his concerts as he did singing.


It is reassuring, then, to reflect on the words of one of the last songs Rich wrote before his far-too-early death in 1997. In Hard to Get, Rich makes it clear that he did not consider himself to be an authority on anything and that the depth of Jesus' relationship with His followers is both personal and mysterious.




You who live in heaven 

Hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth 
Who are afraid of being left by those we love 
And who get hardened by the hurt 

Do you remember when You lived down here where we all scrape 

To find the faith to ask for daily bread 
Did You forget about us after You had flown away 
Well I memorized every word You said 

Still I'm so scared, I'm holding my breath 

While You're up there just playing hard to get 

You who live in radiance 

Hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin 
We have a love that's not as patient as Yours was 
Still we do love now and then 

Did You ever know loneliness 

Did You ever know need 
Do You remember just how long a night can get? 
When You are barely holding on 
And Your friends fall asleep 
And don't see the blood that's running in Your sweat 

Will those who mourn be left uncomforted 

While You're up there just playing hard to get? 

And I know you bore our sorrows 

And I know you feel our pain 
And I know it would not hurt any less 
Even if it could be explained 

And I know that I am only lashing out 

At the One who loves me most 
And after I have figured this, somehow 
What I really need to know 

Is if You who live in eternity 

Hear the prayers of those of us who live in time 
We can't see what's ahead 
And we cannot get free of what we've left behind 
I'm reeling from these voices that keep screaming in my ears 
All these words of shame and doubt, blame and regret 

I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here 

To where I'm lost enough to let myself be led 
And so You've been here all along I guess 
It's just Your ways and You are just plain hard to get


*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...the play on words between "just playing hard to get" and "just plain hard to get" is what got me to look up the lyric and find out exactly what Rich was singing/saying, but seeing all the words written out, I realize that the song is full of phrases that will strike different people different ways at different times. For me today, it's "I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here to where I'm lost enough to let myself be led." What jumps out at you?



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