Hymn to the Last Generation

Go big or go home, right? Well, Larry Norman did both when he ended the album In Another Land (and his present-past-future album trilogy) with the grand-sounding-though-less-than-two-minutes-long "Hymn to the Last Generation".

The title and the first half of the lyric definitely put this in the same end-times/apocalyptic vein as some other songs on the album: Might as well face it, the world as we know it is coming to an end.

And then we get the evangelistic plea and the promise of a better life to come: There's no need to fear; Jesus Christ is here.

Come to reason

Face the day

Now's the season

Old things pass away

Stand beside us

Take His hand

He will guide us

In another land

©1976 Beechwood Music Group

J. C. Love Publishing Co.

https://youtu.be/VIj308EzXO0

Truth is...Whether Jesus comes back tomorrow or a million years from now, our only hope for making our lives in this world (and the next) what they were meant to be is to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus.

Ragamuffin Rocker On "Contemporary" Worship

For faithful readers of Truth is..., it is no secret that I have a high regard for most of what came out of the mouth of singer/songwriter Rich Mullins. (Just click the "Other Posts" link that bears his name and you'll see what I mean.)

The surprise today (one day before the 21st anniversary of his death) is...I've found a series of Mullins quotes that I've never heard before. They are all about worship and they are within an article by Esther O'Reilly that I strongly encourage you to read by clicking HERE.

Maybe this single quote will encourage you to invest five minutes to read something that may enrich the rest of your life:

"I have a feeling that maybe sound doctrine is more important than goosebumps."

Truth is...watching the "It Is Well" clip found at the end of the article may be the best thing you've done for your spirit all week. 

Seventeen Years Ago Today

I've been reading through my old journals to see if there were any nuggets of truth worth sharing here. While I'm not sure about the concept of worth, the following entries are certainly timely, considering today's date.

[A word of explanation: At the time these were written, I was working through the night, sleeping during the day, and waking up at about the time my children came home from school in the afternoon.]

September 12, 2001, Wednesday
     Yesterday afternoon, I was getting up just as Curtis came home from school. He came in and asked if I knew about all the stuff. "I just got up. What do you mean?"
     Then he said that the World Trade Center towers in NYC weren't there anymore; that some planes got hijacked and flown into them, etc.
     I kept saying, "No way...C'mon get real...what's the punch line?" until we went downstairs and turned on the TV.

September 14, 2001, Friday
     So, Lord, what do YOU think? Is this going to end up being a war? Or a prolonged crime investigation? Is this finally the beginning of the end?
     Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

September 15, 2001, Saturday
     Yahweh, silence the foolish talkers; those who would seek attention for themselves by spouting off sensational myths in response to Tuesday's attacks. Keep them from furthering the stereotype of Christians as narrow-minded, reactionary, and judgmental. Take the goose-down out of their blanket statements. I pray specifically against their sweeping generalities.
     Thank You for the opportunity that Franklin Graham took to preach the Gospel in his brief interview with Tom Brokaw Friday night!
     And may the nation's prayers turn from "strengthen and protect us" to "forgive, save, and change us."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...It's seventeen years later, and that change in our national prayers is still needed.

Song for a Small Circle of Friends

We've made it to the penultimate song on Larry Norman's album, In Another Land, and we get a musical love letter that not only declares Norman's love for a short list of special friends, but also Jesus' love for everyone's friends.

Well my life is filled with songs

But I just could not get along without my friends

And I'm happy now, but when this good life ends

I know a better life begins

And love to you, Sir Stonehill

Armed with your axe full gallop on your amp

Ah, you're so crazy but you know it

And I love you as we both crawl toward the Lamp

With Clapton on guitar, and Charlie on the drums

McCartney on the Hofner bass with blisters on his thumbs

Dear Bobby, watch your fears all hide

And disappear while love inside starts growing

You're older but less colder

Than the jokes and folks you spent your childhood snowing

And Someone died for all your friends

But even better yet, He lives again

And if this song does not make sense to you

I hope His Spirit slips on through

He loves you

He loves you

He loves you

And if these words do not appeal to

I hope His Spirit slips on through

He loves you

He loves you

He loves you

And if this song does not make sense to you

I hope His Spirit slips on through

You know He loves you

©1973 Glenwood Music Corp.

Strawbed Music

https://youtu.be/SydKm0BwUY8

Truth is...I couldn't have a better hope for this blog. Maybe these words that get published every week don't make a lot of sense to you, but even so, I hope the Spirit of God slips through and makes His love for you real in your life.