Bono interview: Grace over karma

U2 is right at the top of any list I would make of favorite musicians. Most of you who know me know that. So I was eager to click the link when my friend Stacy tweeted a link to an interview where he talked about Jesus and what makes him different from any other religious leader. Before you click on the link below, here is an excerpt to pique your interest:

 Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says: No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: "I'm the Messiah." I'm saying: "I am God incarnate." And people say: No, no, please, just be a prophet. A prophet, we can take. You're a bit eccentric. We've had John the Baptist eating locusts and wild honey, we can handle that. But don't mention the "M" word! Because, you know, we're gonna have to crucify you. And he goes: No, no. I know you're expecting me to come back with an army, and set you free from these creeps, but actually I am the Messiah. At this point, everyone starts staring at their shoes, and says: Oh, my God, he's gonna keep saying this. So what you're left with is: either Christ was who He said He was the Messiah or a complete nutcase.

 As you read, you'll see the interviewer is a skeptic, which makes the statement that much stronger.

Here's the link:

http://www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2010/09/bono-interview-grace-over-karma.html

God's grace overcoming the karma of reciprocity...through the cross. Tell it, Bono.

Someday

What do you think about when you think of the future? If you're in high school, it's possibly getting into a good college. If you're in college, maybe it's a good job or starting your own family. Later, maybe a day when you won't have to work anymore, or some peace and quiet after your kids leave the house. Life's difficulties often can point us to consider the far future - life after death. At different phases of my life, most of these have been on my radar.

The latest album from Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors is called Chasing Someday. In the week or so it's been out, I have listened to it several times already. And as the title suggests, the future is interwoven all through the music. It's brilliant. For a more detailed review of the album, check out this blog post from my friend Tommy or this review from a Nashville publication.

My favorite song on the album is Someday. It starts (and ends) with the line, "I've known you for years; you always say that we're just friends." (Btw, I love it when songs end with their opening line.) Later, "Someday you will know that I am the only one for you." You know what? You should listen for yourself:



Awesome song, eh? Wonderful melody and instrumentation. So...

Have you ever carried a torch for someone? Someone who had you squarely in the friend zone? I have...and did for a very long time. That period of my life oozes from this song. Longing for the future...a future that was not destined to be. Chasing someday.

Whatever someday you're chasing, you will feel it somewhere on this album. I know I did. Get it and immerse yourself. And you may get in touch with your real someday...the one God intends for you.

Happy V-Day

Here on Valentine's Day, I think of one of my favorite commercials...which, I know, makes me a little warped:



I'm still laughing every time I see it!

You know, that ad and the other ones like it (the athlete who's getting bad news from his doctor - have you seen that one?) are funny...but also really sad. Why? Because they are just way too true. Deep inside, in places we don't like to talk about, we're that selfish, aren't we? While none of us would ever be that blunt about our selfishness, we all naturally think about how things affect us. The ad strikes a nerve because it's painfully true.

Yes, that's the natural state of the human heart...and that's what Christ came to change. We can't love unselfishly and unconditionally because we are all so needy. God doesn't need anything, so he can. And he can put that in our hearts by meeting all our needs.

So, as evening falls on Valentine's Day, let us all celebrate love. not just romantic love, but real love that comes from the Source. As John wrote:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:7-12)

Yes, happy Valentine's Day to you all!

One space...period

I hate being wrong.  I don't suppose anyone likes it, but I really hate it.  Unfortunately, I'm wrong alot.  Sometimes it's doing simple arithmetic wrong in from of alot of people.  Or looking forward to a movie that turns out to be a dud.  Or arguing with my dad about an official's call and the replay shows he's right.  But I recently discovered that I've been wrong about something my entire life.  And doing it wrong is a hard habit to break.

To see what it is, check out this link to slate.com .

That's right.  Apparently, when I type, I'm supposed to leave one space after a period, not two.  Ok, I guess.  I'm going to try to start doing it......now.

The article makes a compelling case that it has always been that way. It (I did it - proud of me?) gives a reason why the two space rule was taught for a while about the time I was in school.  And the...(trying again). And the reason it no longer applies.

Yes, being wrong your whole life stinks, and I'm really annoyed.

This is something I do without thinking. Period, space, space. Period, space, space. It's not easy to change; I'm even having to go back and delete spaces after typing a whole document. But I'm determined to change. Right is right.

And wrong.  Is.  Wrong.