Wednesday, March 3, 2010

I'm Not Satisfied with this Song

So, the other day in church we sang a song called "Believe". I don't care for this song. In fact, I don't care for a lot of praise and worship music out there. So much of it is recycled, unimaginative, and uncreative. But a line in this song really stuck out to me and it bothered me. The line says, "Where's the power, the power of the cross in my life?"

I know many Christians see the cross as a symbol of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for everyone, everywhere. I wear one myself sometimes. But saying that the cross has power, that bothers me. Why? Well, the cross is nothing more than a device designed to slowly and painfully kill someone, not to mention totally humiliate them in the process. "Where's the power, the power of the device designed to slowly and painfully kill some one, not to mention totally humiliate them in the process, in my life?" Does that sound right? What if Jesus were around at a different point in history and a different means was used to kill him?

"Where's the power, the power of the guillotine in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of the firing squad in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of walking the plank in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of the gallows in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of the electric chair in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of the lethal injection in my life?"

"Where's the power, the power of plunging into the sarlacc pit in my life?" (Star Wars reference, I'm a geek)

You get the point.

I know I'm probably just ranting, but I think we really need to think about some of the lyrics that show up in the songs we sing in church and ask, "Does this really even make any sense?". Anyway, if you would like to critique the song yourself, here are the lyrics.

"Believe"

I say on Sunday how much I want revival
But then on Monday, I can't even find my Bible
Where's the power
The power of the cross in my life

I'm sick of playing the game of religion
I'm tired of losing my reason for living
Where's the power
The power of the cross in my life

I'm not content just to walk through my life,
Giving in to the lies, walking in compromises now
We cry out as a generation that was lost
But now is found in the power of the cross

We believe in you
We believe in the power of your word that is true
We believe in you
So we lay down our cause
That our cross might be found in you

I'm not satisfied doing it my own way
I'm not satisfied to do church and walk away
I'm not satisfied there's no love in my life but You
I'm not satisfied living in yesterday's hour
I'm not satisfied to have the form but not the power
I'm not satisfied, Lord I am crucified in You

We believe in you
We believe in the power of your word that is true
We believe in you
So we lay down our cause
That our cross might be found in you

So we lay down our cause
That our cross might be found in you

What are your thoughts?

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