There are a lot of things going on in this world today that cause us to lose hope, that just beat down on any positive attitude we may have about the future. I am not sure that is not on purpose. I recently read an explanation of why God does not reveal Himself to us face to face, or in a way that leaves no doubt of His existence. The author said God is playing hide and seek with us. He wants us to find Him. He leaves clues to His presence and provides motivations for us to seek Him. I think now a lot of those motivations are the struggles we are going through individually as well as collectively as a nation and the world. John Mark McMillan's latest album, The Medicine, became one of my favorites the day I bought it. It is a little unconventional in subject matter, but very encouraging, and really a great worship album. The song Between The Cracks is about that hide and seek concept. Throughout the song God is portrayed as being right here among us just out of sight, and at the end of the song He asks "when are you going to come out from behind these paper thin walls of your cardboard box reality?" He is here with us and He wants us to find Him.
It is also comforting that while we are going through hard times He is right here with us. We have a loving God who is with us when we need Him and "His name is hope". God is "raising the dead in the graveyard where we've laid down our dreams".
I could not find a very good video for this song but youtube does have a video with the song playing and the lyrics scrolling on a black background as they are sung. I will copy and paste the lyrics below as well so you can read at your own pace.
Hope grows between
cracks in the asphault
In the downtown
ghetto streets
that contour the government
housing intentions of my heart
No one notices
the daisies don't care
About gang related violence
As long as they get enough air
and water and sun
They're all just fine
Who would've thought it but life is finding a way
Through this wasteland
of cynics, concrete, and pain
There's a man down here
somewhere between
The Saturday cartooons and the
dirty magazines
He's raising the
dead in the graveyards
Where we've laid down
our dreams and His name is Hope
Hope stands high
on the 15th floor
Of a Christmas tree perched
about the ledge
of a fortress of steel
that's trying too hard
to be somebody's home
As it seized
my attention from I-85
though the throes of the day were
still writhing inside
I lifted my head
as I drove home that night
and knew that everything
was gonna be fine
Who would've thought it
but life is finding a way
Through this wasteland
of cynics, concrete, and pain
There's a man down here
somewhere between
those Saturday cartoons and the
dirty magazines
And he's raising the
dead in the graveyards
Where we've laid down
our dreams and His name is Hope
Can you hear him outside
he's been singing all night
He's saying when are you gonna
come out from behind
These paper thin walls of your
cardboard box reality
5 comments:
This is really great, Jacob. :D I love the album and this song, too. You definitely chose a great song to post about. I like the idea about God in a sort of hiding. While I do believe He is never far away, you do have to search Him out and build the connection. He's waiting for you to want Him, y'know?
Great post. :) I'm glad to see you posting again. I hope, if you keep it up, you're really motivated to and have fun with it.
Thanks Jennifer, I am sure I will write more from this album. I am glad you like it. These songs are written in a way that causes me to really think about and even form a mental image of the message he is sending.
The best songs paint a picture.
Like it! He must be from Atlanta. Sounds like he's seen the Christmas at Rich's downtown.
That's possible, Dad, he is actually from Charlotte and now lives in Nashville, but he could have written that about Atlanta.
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