Hi everyone,
I was watching a DVD of one of my favourite singers, David Phelps, this morning. It had one of my favourite songs on it, a song that I just love and think is beautiful, and the talk that David had with his family before the song (and explaining where this song was written from) just made me cry.
After experiencing some very difficult times in my life, this song really just helps discover what love truly is.
Lyrics:
It’s the only thing worth life and death.
It’s the first moment and the final breath.
It’s a broken heart keeping a solemn vow
And a lost soul being found.
You pray for faith when it’s hard to believe.
You choose to stay when it’s easy to leave
And when hope is gone you’re the one who keeps holding on.
Chorus
That’s what love is
When you give until there’s nothing left
And it makes you give the very best.
That’s what love is.
It can make you laugh and make you cry.
It can let you down and lift you up so high
When you find the only reason left to live.
That’s what love is.
It’s the dream you give up for someone else.
It’s being strong when you’re weak yourself.
Though it tears you up you trust again.
Hatred loses and forgiveness wins.
You turn your cheek when you want to fight.
Sell all you have and lay down your life
And when hope is gone you’re the one who keeps holding on.
Chorus
That’s what love is
When you give until there’s nothing left
And it makes you give the very best.
That’s what love is.
It can make you laugh and make you cry.
It can let you down and lift you up so high
When you find the only reason left to live.
That’s what love is.
It’s reaching out and holding on so someone else will know.
Love is in the not letting go.
And you know what? For the first time, I'm going to let this lyric stand and take some time to think about it... the whole lyric pretty much speaks for itself.
I know I haven't posted too many in the last few months, for those who don't know, I've been very ill and had cancer cut out of my leg too, so it's been difficult to do anything on here.
Take care,
Beck
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
"Build an ark" by Mark Lowry, Guy Penrod, David Phelps
Lyrical Analysis
"Build an Ark" as sung by Mark Lowry, Guy Penrod, David Phelps.
Getting on to the reason for this blog entry, during the many days of lying in bed unable to move, I have been enjoying the comedy and music of the Gaithers, especially of Mark Lowry. At the moment, my favourite song from the Gaithers is a song called "Build an Ark", sung by Mark Lowry, David Phelps and Guy Penrod.
I wanted to analyse this song a little further, but before you keep reading, it might be an idea to watch the song - you can view it on YouTube by typing "Build an ark lowry"
I'm just going to pick on a couple of lines out of the song - and tell you a little bit of why I enjoy it.
"Head for the open water" - this line just shows how much faith that Noah must have had. Before the flood, the world was watered by underground springs (Genesis 2:5-6). It is possible that Noah had never even seen a lake, let alone any great expanse of water. Not only that, scientists have agreed that there must have been a worldwide flood at some point in history, which would have created a large portions of the oceans and mountains. Noah would have had no idea what God had planned for the world, apart from being told that there was going to be a flood. Noah had to have the faith that God would look after him, due to never being able to completely visualise what would happen to him and his family.
"Save your sons and your daughters" - This particular line has special significance with me. Firstly, it shows that the faith of a parent can save a child. We know that Noah had at least 3 sons (Genesis 5:32), but the bible never says that they were not like the world. Even assuming that they were godly men following in the paths of their father, their wives would have been from the world, as it is clear that Noah was the only man on the earth who feared God (Genesis 6:9, 7:1). Those daughters-in-law to Noah were saved by his faith - there is no other way around it.The other thing I like about this line is that it reinforces God's design for our lives - marriage and children. He recognised that without children, the world would die out and gave a specific blessing to the human race to multiply (Genesis 1:28, 9:1). And God made provisions for Noah's children by saving them though their father. It also highlights the role of the father as the head of the house and his ability to save his family when required.
"When the storm is ended, you know the world's been mended" - This line shows that God is fully in control of things (Genesis 1:1). This line completely disputes the evolutionists' theory of order coming out of chaos - you have to have an awful amount of faith to think that the world just appeared because it just happened to appear, and with all order to it. God is the only one who can turn chaos into order, whether it be in our lives today, or whether it be concerning the world and universe we live in. This line shows that God is willing to use chaos, pain and heartache to cause healing and restoration in the world. I like to also think that God chose water rather than another element or cause to start the world over. Why water? Well, water is used to heal, to cleanse, to give new life, to sustain life and best of all, to complement another element used in God's redemptive plan to heal - blood. Scientists have proven that water is a crucial element to the composition of blood. God could have used any element he liked to start the world over - but he chose water. He knew that the world needed cleansing and healing, and other elements would have provided the same effect, but by using water he was also able to set the foundations for the new world that Noah stepped out of the ark onto. No other element could have done this so effectively. Not only that, God's promise that he would never flood the earth again (Genesis 9:13-15) also came from water- the beautiful rainbow that we see in the sky created from floating water particles refracting the light - just magnificent.
"Tired of the men who make the laws and break them anytime they please" - This line grabs my attention everytime I watch the video, but the reason for that this still happens today. The Bible describes the evil that was happening around the time to cause God to wipe the earth clean (Genesis 6:13). The rainbow that God created is certainly still the sign that stated that God will never flood the earth again, but God is still watching the evil people in this world. Do they really think that God will not punish them again? He might not flood the earth, but worse is coming. On what basis will you stand before a perfect God and tell him that you have been good enough to get to heaven?
"Where are all the good guys?" - A question I love to ask, and I know a number of single girls are asking that, but that's a different story :) Where are all the good guys? It is really hard to find good Christian friends these days. It's incredible to think that what Noah went through around 5000 years ago is exactly what I go through today. And even more comforting is that Jesus experienced the same thing, except that He saw everyone for what they could be through Him.
"All of the friends I care about" - This particular line I don't happen to agree with. It is clear that Noah did not take any friends on board the ark with Him - there was Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives - 8 people in total (Genesis 7:13). Now running a boat full of animals for two months or so with 8 people would have been difficult, but I don't think Noah advertised the positions in the local paper. And I don't think that Noah would have wanted to take someone on board the ark that was evil - one apple that is rotten will ruin the whole crate. But on thinking about it, I don't think this line is talking about Noah - I think it is talking about us in our lives, and highlights the importance of selecting our friends and companions carefully. You would have heard the old saying that "Bad company corrupts good habits" - don't invest your time in people who have bad habits or do not believe in Christ in their external walk. You need to ensure that the people you surround yourselves with are those who will edify you and help you in your walk with Him.
"And the woman that I've learned to love" - this line bugs me and encourages me as well. Two things - the first I will repeat from a previous line - God is endorsing the act of marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). God never said that the couple always had to be in love, or had to be in love when they married, but the bible highlights the roles of the husband and wife - the wife to submit to the leadership of the husband, and the husband to cherish and care for his wife in the same way he would care for himself (Ephesians 5:22-33). The Bible never specifically says that love has to be there from the start. Of course, that is what the world seems to base it's qualification for pre-marital sex and/or marriage on. No wonder we seem to be falling apart. But God never said that marriage was bad, or wrong, and I personally believe that it is important to people to marry. If God hasn't put you in a position to never marry (I believe there are only about 5 situations in where that would be the case), then 100% of people should marry.Secondly - some times you have to learn to love. While back in Noah's time where marriages were pre-arranged, men had to learn to love their wives. Not that women aren't hard to love :) Still, it highlights one important thing - marriage is important!
"Promise them forever" - I love these two words - promise and forever. Promise is a term I use lightly, as I hate having to break promises. Promises are like vows - once made, they represent your word that you will commit to doing whatever you have promised to do. Don't make these lightly! God knows this, and highlights this well in the bible. He has never broken a promise, and He never will. He will do everything He has promised to do (which is one of the great reasons for being a Christian) but we should take His example and don't make promises lightly!! The word forever - this is one word I have promised (yes, promised) never to say to any man except for my future husband on my wedding day. It is one word that I have reserved especially to him. And even now, I don't say the word forever unless I mean it. Have you ever said the word forever and regretted it?
Conclusion - I love this song! It means a lot to me, and not only does these three men have extraordinary voices, their faces radiate their love for God. Maybe that's why I love this song so much - this song has a lot to do with our lives today, and how far God is willing to go to protect us.
"Build an Ark" as sung by Mark Lowry, Guy Penrod, David Phelps.
Getting on to the reason for this blog entry, during the many days of lying in bed unable to move, I have been enjoying the comedy and music of the Gaithers, especially of Mark Lowry. At the moment, my favourite song from the Gaithers is a song called "Build an Ark", sung by Mark Lowry, David Phelps and Guy Penrod.
I wanted to analyse this song a little further, but before you keep reading, it might be an idea to watch the song - you can view it on YouTube by typing "Build an ark lowry"
I'm just going to pick on a couple of lines out of the song - and tell you a little bit of why I enjoy it.
"Head for the open water" - this line just shows how much faith that Noah must have had. Before the flood, the world was watered by underground springs (Genesis 2:5-6). It is possible that Noah had never even seen a lake, let alone any great expanse of water. Not only that, scientists have agreed that there must have been a worldwide flood at some point in history, which would have created a large portions of the oceans and mountains. Noah would have had no idea what God had planned for the world, apart from being told that there was going to be a flood. Noah had to have the faith that God would look after him, due to never being able to completely visualise what would happen to him and his family.
"Save your sons and your daughters" - This particular line has special significance with me. Firstly, it shows that the faith of a parent can save a child. We know that Noah had at least 3 sons (Genesis 5:32), but the bible never says that they were not like the world. Even assuming that they were godly men following in the paths of their father, their wives would have been from the world, as it is clear that Noah was the only man on the earth who feared God (Genesis 6:9, 7:1). Those daughters-in-law to Noah were saved by his faith - there is no other way around it.The other thing I like about this line is that it reinforces God's design for our lives - marriage and children. He recognised that without children, the world would die out and gave a specific blessing to the human race to multiply (Genesis 1:28, 9:1). And God made provisions for Noah's children by saving them though their father. It also highlights the role of the father as the head of the house and his ability to save his family when required.
"When the storm is ended, you know the world's been mended" - This line shows that God is fully in control of things (Genesis 1:1). This line completely disputes the evolutionists' theory of order coming out of chaos - you have to have an awful amount of faith to think that the world just appeared because it just happened to appear, and with all order to it. God is the only one who can turn chaos into order, whether it be in our lives today, or whether it be concerning the world and universe we live in. This line shows that God is willing to use chaos, pain and heartache to cause healing and restoration in the world. I like to also think that God chose water rather than another element or cause to start the world over. Why water? Well, water is used to heal, to cleanse, to give new life, to sustain life and best of all, to complement another element used in God's redemptive plan to heal - blood. Scientists have proven that water is a crucial element to the composition of blood. God could have used any element he liked to start the world over - but he chose water. He knew that the world needed cleansing and healing, and other elements would have provided the same effect, but by using water he was also able to set the foundations for the new world that Noah stepped out of the ark onto. No other element could have done this so effectively. Not only that, God's promise that he would never flood the earth again (Genesis 9:13-15) also came from water- the beautiful rainbow that we see in the sky created from floating water particles refracting the light - just magnificent.
"Tired of the men who make the laws and break them anytime they please" - This line grabs my attention everytime I watch the video, but the reason for that this still happens today. The Bible describes the evil that was happening around the time to cause God to wipe the earth clean (Genesis 6:13). The rainbow that God created is certainly still the sign that stated that God will never flood the earth again, but God is still watching the evil people in this world. Do they really think that God will not punish them again? He might not flood the earth, but worse is coming. On what basis will you stand before a perfect God and tell him that you have been good enough to get to heaven?
"Where are all the good guys?" - A question I love to ask, and I know a number of single girls are asking that, but that's a different story :) Where are all the good guys? It is really hard to find good Christian friends these days. It's incredible to think that what Noah went through around 5000 years ago is exactly what I go through today. And even more comforting is that Jesus experienced the same thing, except that He saw everyone for what they could be through Him.
"All of the friends I care about" - This particular line I don't happen to agree with. It is clear that Noah did not take any friends on board the ark with Him - there was Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives - 8 people in total (Genesis 7:13). Now running a boat full of animals for two months or so with 8 people would have been difficult, but I don't think Noah advertised the positions in the local paper. And I don't think that Noah would have wanted to take someone on board the ark that was evil - one apple that is rotten will ruin the whole crate. But on thinking about it, I don't think this line is talking about Noah - I think it is talking about us in our lives, and highlights the importance of selecting our friends and companions carefully. You would have heard the old saying that "Bad company corrupts good habits" - don't invest your time in people who have bad habits or do not believe in Christ in their external walk. You need to ensure that the people you surround yourselves with are those who will edify you and help you in your walk with Him.
"And the woman that I've learned to love" - this line bugs me and encourages me as well. Two things - the first I will repeat from a previous line - God is endorsing the act of marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). God never said that the couple always had to be in love, or had to be in love when they married, but the bible highlights the roles of the husband and wife - the wife to submit to the leadership of the husband, and the husband to cherish and care for his wife in the same way he would care for himself (Ephesians 5:22-33). The Bible never specifically says that love has to be there from the start. Of course, that is what the world seems to base it's qualification for pre-marital sex and/or marriage on. No wonder we seem to be falling apart. But God never said that marriage was bad, or wrong, and I personally believe that it is important to people to marry. If God hasn't put you in a position to never marry (I believe there are only about 5 situations in where that would be the case), then 100% of people should marry.Secondly - some times you have to learn to love. While back in Noah's time where marriages were pre-arranged, men had to learn to love their wives. Not that women aren't hard to love :) Still, it highlights one important thing - marriage is important!
"Promise them forever" - I love these two words - promise and forever. Promise is a term I use lightly, as I hate having to break promises. Promises are like vows - once made, they represent your word that you will commit to doing whatever you have promised to do. Don't make these lightly! God knows this, and highlights this well in the bible. He has never broken a promise, and He never will. He will do everything He has promised to do (which is one of the great reasons for being a Christian) but we should take His example and don't make promises lightly!! The word forever - this is one word I have promised (yes, promised) never to say to any man except for my future husband on my wedding day. It is one word that I have reserved especially to him. And even now, I don't say the word forever unless I mean it. Have you ever said the word forever and regretted it?
Conclusion - I love this song! It means a lot to me, and not only does these three men have extraordinary voices, their faces radiate their love for God. Maybe that's why I love this song so much - this song has a lot to do with our lives today, and how far God is willing to go to protect us.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ANALYSIS: I want to go to heaven
I wanna go to Heaven lyrics
As sung by Mark Lowry, Bill Gaither, Stan Whitmire, Michael Lord
On the album "Some things never change" by Mark Lowry
If the golden streets were stainless steel
If the gates of pearl had a plastic feel
If the marriage supper was a Happy Meal,
I'd still want to go there
If the river of life was a babbling brook,
If the great white throne had a dingy look
If the book of life was a comic book
I'd still want to go there
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
I'd still want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
If the angel's horn was an old kazoo
If the city foursquare was a 2 by 2
If my mansion was a room with a terrible view
I'd still want to go there
The millenial reign was a couple of weeks,
If the jasper walls were a shade of pink
If the only music ever heard was N Sync
I'd still want to go there
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
I'd still want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
Lord, I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I see
Hi all - well, here is another musical analysis. Some of you might have enjoyed my first blog with the song "Build an ark". Some of you might have found this blog for the lyrics (these are the only lyrics on the web for this song, cause I looked for ages for them and ended having to type them myself!)
I am enjoying listening to these songs, they are so uplifting and just convey God's love soooo much!Before I start my analysis, I have to comment about a number of reviews that I spotted on the web while looking for these lyrics.
One stated that the word 'N Sync' should never be put in a Southern Gospel song. Firstly, this person mustn't know too much about Mark Lowry - now I don't personally know Mark Lowry, but I would love to meet him one day. I also don't know if Mark Lowry wrote this song, as I have been unable to find anymore information about it (I went looking for the lyrics, didn't I?) apart from the fact that it is on Mark Lowry's CD 'Some things never change'. However, I will tell you that if Mark Lowry doesn't believe in the lyrics of a song, he won't sing it. There has been one case of this that I am aware of, but there may have been more. There are only two other points to this song that someone might disagree with - one would be the words to the fact that this is a gospel song. Forgive me if I happen to be mistaken, but since when has there been 'lyrics of conduct' for a particular style of music? I have heard gospel music in hard rock, and swearing in so-called gospel music (which is wrong!), but I don't believe that there is anything wrong in putting another band's name in your song. The second point would be that someone who happens to enjoy N Sync a lot might object on the grounds that this line is upsetting and insults the band's music quality. All I'm going to say is - do you want to listen to the same music for all eternity? That would be like putting a CD in a car and driving that car from Cairns to Melbourne (or Los Angeles to New York City for you Americans) and back for the rest of your life never changing the CD. I'd get sick of it too...don't get me wrong, I am going to thoroughly enjoy the heavenly music when I get there, but I would get pretty sick of the same music for even a year, let alone eternity.
In regards to the multiple reviews about Michael English and the controversy about Mark Lowry standing by him during his lowest hour, this is all I have to say - "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone".
Now, let's get onto the whole reason for this post - music analysis. See below for the reasons for my lyrical interpretations:
If the gates of pearl had a plastic feel - ah, this line gives me goosebumps- why? In one of my favourite books, Pilgrim's Progress, it says that the Pearly Gates are made from a single pearl - a single pearl. Wow. Now I don't know if it says this biblically, but wouldn't that be an incredible sight? I think I could stare at them and never get sick of the design - a single pearl. Wow. But if it was possible to create a massive pearly gate out of a single pearl, God would do it. And what would be more beautiful to signify the entrance to heaven?
If the river of life was a babbling brook - this line puzzles me a little bit. A babbling brook contains the same substance that a river does - water. Water is essential for cleansing, essential for healing, essential for life. Would it seriously matter if the river of life was just a brook? As long as it had Jesus' cleansing power, I wouldn't think so. However, the big difference that I think might have triggered this line is the fact that a brook can only sustain a limited amount of people for a limited time. The little stream that helped feed Elijah and his servant when he was on the run only lasted a short amount of time (1 Kings 17:5-7). A river, on the other hand, is a strong current of water, a vast amount of water that is able to sweep uncleanliness away. There is a common term used by Christians - the River of Life - which indicates that it can sustain everyone that comes to it. A brook on the other hand, cannot do so.
If the great white throne had a dingy look - I believe the reason that this throne is so magnificent is not because it happens to be spectacular in it's own right. I believe it is so magnificent is because the Glory of the One who sits on that throne has made it shine so brightly. I take this from the story of Moses, where Moses was able to sit and talk to God as one talks to a friend. It records that he came down off the mountain, and had to veil his face because his face was shining so radiantly! (Exodus 34:33-35) So why not a throne, that has seen the Glory of God for thousands of our years? I think that the throne could literally be falling apart and would still look fantastic. But why would it be like that anyway, when the Perfect One lives there? Surely it would be perfect too.
If it wasn't all the bible said it would be - this is the whole reason for this song, this line. Even if the bible said that heaven was a dump, if Jesus is there, I'd want to go there too. The ideal of grace is what shines through so brightly for me for this line. Remember, we are sinners saved by grace. We don't deserve to go to heaven, we deserve to go to hell for the sin in our lives (John 3:16). But we aren't going to hell because Jesus Christ has saved us. As Mark Lowry has said "I'm not going to heaven because I'm good, I'm going because He's good." I don't want to spend eternity away from God. I want to spend eternity with Him. And wherever He is, I want to be there. I know hell is a place full of terrible suffering, suffering beyond what we can imagine. But what I think is the worst thing about hell is that it is away from God. If you think you can't feel God now, I pray that you will find him before you are called to judgement, not only because you need God, but because you will miss Him terribly if you go to hell.
If Jesus is all I ever see - If Jesus is all I ever see in Heaven, He will never cease to amaze me and humble me. Just being in His presence for eternity will give me more than enough to spend eternity thanking him for His grace, His gift of eternal life and the price He paid to save me!
If my mansion was a room with a terrible view - what view of heaven would be terrible? In a place with no sun, no moon, just the Glory of God shining through, I hardly think it would be possible to have a terrible view, but even if it was ... read all the above comments :)
If the jasper walls were a shade of pink - I think these walls would radiate bright pure white light whatever colour they are. The Glory of God...wow, incredible. If it can eliminate shadows and extinguish the darkness, then I think it could change the colour of the stone walls.
If the only music ever heard was N Sync - I have spoken on this line already, and this seems to be the most controversial line in this song (if you could call it a controversy anyway...) I don't have anything against N Sync and it's music, but I don't think that I'd want to be listening to the same songs all the time. Then again, if I was praising my saviour for all eternity, it wouldn't really bother me either.
Lord, I want to go to heaven - this is my final plea to the Lord. Only He can take me to heaven - nothing I do by my own merits will take me there. I can't build a bridge to get there, I can't make God take me anywhere. I just plead Jesus' blood as my reason for going to heaven. Lord, I want to go to heaven! I hope you will find me fit on judgement day to be in your presence forevermore.
That is all my friends. I hope you have enjoyed another music lyrical analysis post!
May God bless you.
Beck
Note: This was first posted on www.myspace.com/totallybeck on Sunday September 7.
As sung by Mark Lowry, Bill Gaither, Stan Whitmire, Michael Lord
On the album "Some things never change" by Mark Lowry
If the golden streets were stainless steel
If the gates of pearl had a plastic feel
If the marriage supper was a Happy Meal,
I'd still want to go there
If the river of life was a babbling brook,
If the great white throne had a dingy look
If the book of life was a comic book
I'd still want to go there
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
I'd still want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
If the angel's horn was an old kazoo
If the city foursquare was a 2 by 2
If my mansion was a room with a terrible view
I'd still want to go there
The millenial reign was a couple of weeks,
If the jasper walls were a shade of pink
If the only music ever heard was N Sync
I'd still want to go there
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
I'd still want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
Even if it wasn't all the bible said it will be
Lord, I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I ever see
I want to go to heaven, if Jesus is all I see
Hi all - well, here is another musical analysis. Some of you might have enjoyed my first blog with the song "Build an ark". Some of you might have found this blog for the lyrics (these are the only lyrics on the web for this song, cause I looked for ages for them and ended having to type them myself!)
I am enjoying listening to these songs, they are so uplifting and just convey God's love soooo much!Before I start my analysis, I have to comment about a number of reviews that I spotted on the web while looking for these lyrics.
One stated that the word 'N Sync' should never be put in a Southern Gospel song. Firstly, this person mustn't know too much about Mark Lowry - now I don't personally know Mark Lowry, but I would love to meet him one day. I also don't know if Mark Lowry wrote this song, as I have been unable to find anymore information about it (I went looking for the lyrics, didn't I?) apart from the fact that it is on Mark Lowry's CD 'Some things never change'. However, I will tell you that if Mark Lowry doesn't believe in the lyrics of a song, he won't sing it. There has been one case of this that I am aware of, but there may have been more. There are only two other points to this song that someone might disagree with - one would be the words to the fact that this is a gospel song. Forgive me if I happen to be mistaken, but since when has there been 'lyrics of conduct' for a particular style of music? I have heard gospel music in hard rock, and swearing in so-called gospel music (which is wrong!), but I don't believe that there is anything wrong in putting another band's name in your song. The second point would be that someone who happens to enjoy N Sync a lot might object on the grounds that this line is upsetting and insults the band's music quality. All I'm going to say is - do you want to listen to the same music for all eternity? That would be like putting a CD in a car and driving that car from Cairns to Melbourne (or Los Angeles to New York City for you Americans) and back for the rest of your life never changing the CD. I'd get sick of it too...don't get me wrong, I am going to thoroughly enjoy the heavenly music when I get there, but I would get pretty sick of the same music for even a year, let alone eternity.
In regards to the multiple reviews about Michael English and the controversy about Mark Lowry standing by him during his lowest hour, this is all I have to say - "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone".
Now, let's get onto the whole reason for this post - music analysis. See below for the reasons for my lyrical interpretations:
If the gates of pearl had a plastic feel - ah, this line gives me goosebumps- why? In one of my favourite books, Pilgrim's Progress, it says that the Pearly Gates are made from a single pearl - a single pearl. Wow. Now I don't know if it says this biblically, but wouldn't that be an incredible sight? I think I could stare at them and never get sick of the design - a single pearl. Wow. But if it was possible to create a massive pearly gate out of a single pearl, God would do it. And what would be more beautiful to signify the entrance to heaven?
If the river of life was a babbling brook - this line puzzles me a little bit. A babbling brook contains the same substance that a river does - water. Water is essential for cleansing, essential for healing, essential for life. Would it seriously matter if the river of life was just a brook? As long as it had Jesus' cleansing power, I wouldn't think so. However, the big difference that I think might have triggered this line is the fact that a brook can only sustain a limited amount of people for a limited time. The little stream that helped feed Elijah and his servant when he was on the run only lasted a short amount of time (1 Kings 17:5-7). A river, on the other hand, is a strong current of water, a vast amount of water that is able to sweep uncleanliness away. There is a common term used by Christians - the River of Life - which indicates that it can sustain everyone that comes to it. A brook on the other hand, cannot do so.
If the great white throne had a dingy look - I believe the reason that this throne is so magnificent is not because it happens to be spectacular in it's own right. I believe it is so magnificent is because the Glory of the One who sits on that throne has made it shine so brightly. I take this from the story of Moses, where Moses was able to sit and talk to God as one talks to a friend. It records that he came down off the mountain, and had to veil his face because his face was shining so radiantly! (Exodus 34:33-35) So why not a throne, that has seen the Glory of God for thousands of our years? I think that the throne could literally be falling apart and would still look fantastic. But why would it be like that anyway, when the Perfect One lives there? Surely it would be perfect too.
If it wasn't all the bible said it would be - this is the whole reason for this song, this line. Even if the bible said that heaven was a dump, if Jesus is there, I'd want to go there too. The ideal of grace is what shines through so brightly for me for this line. Remember, we are sinners saved by grace. We don't deserve to go to heaven, we deserve to go to hell for the sin in our lives (John 3:16). But we aren't going to hell because Jesus Christ has saved us. As Mark Lowry has said "I'm not going to heaven because I'm good, I'm going because He's good." I don't want to spend eternity away from God. I want to spend eternity with Him. And wherever He is, I want to be there. I know hell is a place full of terrible suffering, suffering beyond what we can imagine. But what I think is the worst thing about hell is that it is away from God. If you think you can't feel God now, I pray that you will find him before you are called to judgement, not only because you need God, but because you will miss Him terribly if you go to hell.
If Jesus is all I ever see - If Jesus is all I ever see in Heaven, He will never cease to amaze me and humble me. Just being in His presence for eternity will give me more than enough to spend eternity thanking him for His grace, His gift of eternal life and the price He paid to save me!
If my mansion was a room with a terrible view - what view of heaven would be terrible? In a place with no sun, no moon, just the Glory of God shining through, I hardly think it would be possible to have a terrible view, but even if it was ... read all the above comments :)
If the jasper walls were a shade of pink - I think these walls would radiate bright pure white light whatever colour they are. The Glory of God...wow, incredible. If it can eliminate shadows and extinguish the darkness, then I think it could change the colour of the stone walls.
If the only music ever heard was N Sync - I have spoken on this line already, and this seems to be the most controversial line in this song (if you could call it a controversy anyway...) I don't have anything against N Sync and it's music, but I don't think that I'd want to be listening to the same songs all the time. Then again, if I was praising my saviour for all eternity, it wouldn't really bother me either.
Lord, I want to go to heaven - this is my final plea to the Lord. Only He can take me to heaven - nothing I do by my own merits will take me there. I can't build a bridge to get there, I can't make God take me anywhere. I just plead Jesus' blood as my reason for going to heaven. Lord, I want to go to heaven! I hope you will find me fit on judgement day to be in your presence forevermore.
That is all my friends. I hope you have enjoyed another music lyrical analysis post!
May God bless you.
Beck
Note: This was first posted on www.myspace.com/totallybeck on Sunday September 7.
Introduction
Hi all!
Welcome to the Lyrical Investigation Blogspace.
The purpose of this blogspace is to analyse lyrics from a huge range of different songs - whether it be rock, pop, gospel, country, dance, techno, whatever - but do it from a biblical perspective.
It should be an interesting journey, one that I wish to share with you. Please comment about any of the songs that I post - but please be productive in what you say. I will always try to include copyright to any of the songs I post, but if I get it wrong I will post the correct copyright and an apology :)
I would also love it if you could suggest some songs for me to analyse...there are hundreds of thousands of songs that I could do, but I'd rather do the ones that you are going to read.
Finally, please be patient...most of my lyrical investigations take around 3-4 hours to do and it can be difficult to type everything out that I want to say before posting. I want to make sure it is perfect before I post it, so please don't hassle me too much...
If you want to keep up with me in general, my myspace is www.myspace.com/totallybeck ... it will give you an update as to what is happening in my life and might give you a sneak peek as to what might be coming up soon...
Blessings!
Beck
Welcome to the Lyrical Investigation Blogspace.
The purpose of this blogspace is to analyse lyrics from a huge range of different songs - whether it be rock, pop, gospel, country, dance, techno, whatever - but do it from a biblical perspective.
It should be an interesting journey, one that I wish to share with you. Please comment about any of the songs that I post - but please be productive in what you say. I will always try to include copyright to any of the songs I post, but if I get it wrong I will post the correct copyright and an apology :)
I would also love it if you could suggest some songs for me to analyse...there are hundreds of thousands of songs that I could do, but I'd rather do the ones that you are going to read.
Finally, please be patient...most of my lyrical investigations take around 3-4 hours to do and it can be difficult to type everything out that I want to say before posting. I want to make sure it is perfect before I post it, so please don't hassle me too much...
If you want to keep up with me in general, my myspace is www.myspace.com/totallybeck ... it will give you an update as to what is happening in my life and might give you a sneak peek as to what might be coming up soon...
Blessings!
Beck
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