Beautiful... the Gospel, in bare form

The other course which has a closer relation to faith remains to be considered, i.e., that while we observe how God has destined all things for our good and salvation, we at the same time feel His power and grace, both in ourselves and in the great blessings which He has bestowed upon us; thence stirring up ourselves to confidence in Him, to invocation, praise, and love.  Moreover, as I lately observed, the Lord Himself, by the very order of creation, has demonstrated that He created all things for the sake of man.  Nor is it unimportant to observe, that He divided the formation of the world into six days, though it had been in no respect more difficult to complete the whole work, in all its parts, in one moment than by a gradual progression.  But He was pleased to display His providence and paternal care toward us in this, that before He formed man, He provided whatever He foresaw would be useful and salutary to him.  How ungrateful, then, were it to doubt whether we are cared for by this most excellent Parent, who we see cared for us even before we were born!  How impious were it to tremble in distrust, lest we should one day be abandoned in our necessity by that kindness which, antecedent to our existence, displayed itself in a complete supple of all good things!  Moreover, Moses tells us that everything which the world contains is liberally placed at our disposal.  This God certainly did not that He might delude us with an empty form of donation.  Nothing, therefore, which concerns our safety will ever be wanting.  To conclude, in one word; as often as we call God the Creator of heaven and earth, let us remember that the distribution of all the things which He created are in His hand and power, but that we are His sons, whom He has undertaken to nourish and bring up in allegiance to Him, that we may expect the substance of all good from Him alone, and have full hope that He will never suffer us to be in want of things necessary to salvation, so as to leave us dependent on some other source; that in everything we desire we may address our prayers to Him, and, in every benefit we receive, acknowledge His hand, and give Him thanks; that thus allured by His great goodness and beneficence, we may study with our whole heart to love and serve Him.

John Calvin, "Institutes of the Christian Religion", Book 1, Chapter 14, Section 22.  Translated by Henry Beveridge

Slightly Tilted

Alright, a song brings me to this post.  "Hand-me-down Tune" by the Avett Brothers, specifically.  Here are the lyrics.  Refer back to them as necessary.  I hope it's not illegal to post these; Avett Bros, please do not sue me, we can talk these things out.  Anyhow.

 

I dreamt of a suit a suit so fine I dressed my words in
Sewn and tailor made with song in mind made of melody
Stitched by threads of notes with perfect pitch, perfectly composed
Sound in tune and key, a code of rhythm, and harmony
But when I awoke my coat was worn and my words were plain
Each song that I sang all the notes were wrong and poorly played
Both my sleeves had holes, my knees were patched, my shoes needed soles
No clever disguise no way to hide my offensive tone

But I, I wish for you more than I can give, than I can do
Yeah you, you deserve the best an anthem not my hand-me-down tune
Yeah you, you deserve the best an anthem not my hand-me-down tune

 

What about this song would coerce, no, inspire me to dialog to a computer?  The song's appeal to redemption.  

Jesus Juke?

No, not at all.  At least, that's not the intention.  But I will nonetheless speak of Christ, just so you know.

Maybe a little preface, first.  T'was the construction/development of our own little art theory and aesthetic theory by Jeff and myself that put me into a mindset conducive to what I'm planning on writing about.  The theory, though I don't want to go into great detail, as there is not much detail as of yet, and I don't want you to steal it... Just joking... But don't.  I'll find you.  But in a nutshell, Jeff and I have tentatively proposed that art is anything that challenges your perception of the Perfect, or Ideal.  

The implications of that run deep and will require much more thought and development through dialectic.  How does this relate to this song?  Well, it started with how well I believe the artist has interwoven the content of the song, so as to communicate the feeling of its message lyrically, melodically, and emotionally (which every song ought to do....).  Which then led me to sit and chew on what the Avett Brothers, or at least the writer if that be outside the group, is, well, mourning about.  Maybe not weeping.  Maybe not cursing and waving his fists at the sky.  But it's certainly melancholy.  Certainly worth noting, and I indeed appreciate this definition, the definition of "melancholy": a sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

Sober thoughtfulness... that's it.  That's what the song is.  

The speaker sings in sober thoughtfulness over what he wishes he could do, of what he feels ought to be.  He sees himself doing everything perfectly; feels the perfect lyric slide from his vibrating vocal cords; senses the steely coarseness of the guitar string skillfully, emotionally, correctly, satisfyingly plucked; hears the pitch of his voice sliding into harmony with the guitar.  But not just in harmony with the instrument, but with the lyric Itself.  It all returns home.

 

Yes.  His senses, primary and secondary, dependent and independent, harmoniously join to experience a galactic phenomenon, of sorts,  But any aligning of mere planets, which are but lifeless rocks, pales in comparison to her maiden, the aligning of words to action to thought to feeling to expression.  This, this release of tension, that is what I perceive to be the subject of the song.  Thought I may as well say, every song.  Though I may as well say, everything.

The song grieves.  

The singer grieves.  

The speaker grieves.  

We grieve.

Grief over that tension.  Grief over that internal sense of eternity not being fulfilled.  Grief over the suspended chord that awaits its resolution.  Sure, that grief may not always be, though I hope it sometimes is and grows into, a wailing lament.  Melancholy is probably the most accurate definition of that grief.  Sober thoughtfulness.

That is the experience of the Christian.  Wailing.  When not wailing, sober thoughtfulness.

 

Check the song... grief.

 

Check yourself... grief.

 

Grief over what you are.  Grief over who you are not.  

Aspirations just don't seem to materialize.  Thoughts seem to be slightly tilted.  The world is not what it indeed ought.  Your dreams fizzle as the when you finally shake the morning, sleepy daze.  That in itself is reversed.  Perfection ought not fade as you awaken, but solidify.  That is the corruption of the world; that is the dissonance; that is the tiltedness.

Christ is the correction.  Christ is the resolution;  Christ is the fulfillment.  That is this Redemption of which he sings.

 

 

 

Stuff...

Sitting once again in Toomer's.  I love these nights.  Reflecting and relearning the graces taught to me by the LORD through my experiences, and today, by my beloved brothers.  It's good to learn to just sit down, shut up, and just listen.  My tendency to speak only fills my ears with the foolishness of my own voice.  I usually have my earphones in, but it's actually quite enjoyable just hearing what all is going on around me; sirens passing by, two different conversations at the sets of couches to either side of me, the barista working and cleaning behind the counter, the elevator music coming through the speakers (the least enjoyable part).  I know that's awfully cliche, but consider that a mid-blog status update, or "tweet" if you will.

Is it vain to mention that I'm hand-writing this first because I enjoy my handwriting?  If so, sue me.  It's much better than digital font, and takes more time and effort to create.  Plus, it makes me think before and as I write, and to actually somewhat proofread.

So, I'm blogging yet again, at the instruction of Weaver:  a reminder to write down my thoughts (shout out to my boi), hence your reading this (if you are, in fact, reading this) stream of handwritten, verbal vomiting of semi-coherent thoughts.  How bout that for imagery?  You're welcome.

I'm also thinking about a conversation Weaver and me had right before I left the dub to come up here.  A "call" to ministry and missions:  do we actually one besides His telling us to go and the example of Christ?  My thoughts:  No.  Oey.  Now, that's not to say that just anyone can pastor and shepherd a church, or that everyone has to move overseas.  But it does have obvious implications and demands upon my (our) life (lives), that I (we) so often shik and shrug off.  The command is clear, despite us.

At the risk of sounding like David Platt, I want to draw your attention to something that drew mine yesterday morning while reading in Jeremiah.  I had gotten to the portion of Jeremiah where the LORD passes out judgement on Judah and Israel, and upon all over her enemies.
                         Side note:  the music is nearing the point of being unbearable, here in Toomer's
In the 49th chapter, judgement comes to Edom, who is actually the brother (Esau) of Israel (Jacob).  The LORD says this regarding Edom:

"Flee, turn back, dwell in depths, O inhabitants of Dedan!  For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time when I punish him... but I have stripped Esau bare; I have uncovered his hiding places, and he is not able to conceal himself.  His children are destroyed, and his brothers, and his neighbors; and he is no more."

Pretty intense, huh:  It's about to hit the fan for ole Edom, but see and appreciate what the LORD says afterwards:

"Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive; and let you widows trust in ME."

The LORD is willing to punish sinful nations through the loss of that nation's children, but He Himself maintains and sustains the lives of the wretched by being the Father to the orphans, and a Husband to the widows.

Sound like a social gospel?  It's isn't.  It's THE Gospel.  A social, good works gospel makes us into sinful Israel, Judah, and Edom.  But the Gospel of Christ, our Bridegroom, saves those of us who are just as much widows and orphans as those of Edom.

Now, I guess I'll stop there, as it's getting slightly labored, and I don't like making the Gospel merely obligatory.  I mean, it is totally necessary, but not something to be labored.  God desires obedience over sacrifice.