So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
to
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss

Crowder blogged about the song release and it’s personal story.  I appreciate his thoughts:

right before we started recording the new album, “church music”, i was on a plane flight listening to a friend of ours cd when this song started playing. about a minute into the thing i was weeping like a small child. it was slightly embarrassing, seeing as i was on a plane in the near proximity of other humans whom i didn’t wish to frightened. but dang, this song! i don’t know how i avoided hearing it for so long, but i knew there were more people out there like myself that hadn’t heard it yet and i became determined to change that. it’s one of those you just want to sing

I find myself lost in the intense lyrics of this song.  It’s so personal…about a personal relationship with a personal God.  Let me help you realize that:

He is jealous for [insert your name here];  loves like a hurricane…

[insert your name here] [is] unaware of [his/her] afflictions eclipsed by [His] glory

how great Your affections are for [insert your name here]

If grace is an ocean [insert your name here] [is] sinking

[insert your name here] [doesn't] have time to maintain these regrets When [he/she] think[s] about the way He loves [him/her] so

Oh how He loves [insert your name here] so
Oh how He loves [insert your name here]
How He loves [insert your name here] so

Selah…

Which ever side you find yourself on in the “Unforeseen, Sloppy Wet” conversation, the amazing truth of this song remains profound regardless of the lyrical swap:

The AWESOME GOD who created…well…everything, loves you and me. Enough to pay the price we should have paid for sinning against…well…Him.

Thank You amazing and gracious God!

I own three takes of this song.  I like the DCB sound and Eddie Kirkland has this song on his Orthodoxy CD too; but I spent Tuesday afternoon with this version on repeat…all afternoon.  Kim Walker’s exhortation and prayer gave me chills… (I probably should get the John Mark McMillian version!)

So. Click the video below and marinate in the truth of this prayer.

Let yourself completely sink in His grace!

How He Loves
John Mark Mcmillan

He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so

Yeah He loves us
Whoa how He loves us
Whoa how He loves us
Whoa how He loves us

We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way

The obvious lesson here is how we judge by appearances – all of us. Whether we are willing to admit it or not, we do it. We know it’s wrong and unfair, but it’s a natural reaction…

In an interview with the Washington Post, Boyle said it all to well:

“Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. … There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example.”

That’s the obvious take away…I have two other observations:

First, can you imagine what it would have been like if people based their belief in Jesus solely on his looks during his life on earth?

We don’t have any actual images of Jesus and The Bible never gives any physical description of Him. The closest we have is found in Isaiah 53:2, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” So basically, we can surmise that Jesus’ appearance was just like any other man’s – quite ordinary-looking. We can probably surmise other things, based how people from that region look, on his profession as a carpenter, and the fact that he probably traveled by foot a lot (he would have had to have been somewhat fit). Jesus established his credibility and authority with miracles and by speaking with an authority that had not been seen or heard…not with his looks.

Ponder this: two thousand years later, people base their belief on His appearance – His appearance through me and you. What a profound and pressure-filled thought…someone may accept or reject even considering Christ because of my actions (or lake thereof). “Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus,…” Col 3:17 [MSG] I guess if one is a “secret agent” follower of Christ (which is an oxymoron) you may be able to get by; but, if one is truly living a genuine and dependent life of worship, people will see Jesus in us and possibly make a decision to reject, consider, or believe.

It’s a lot of pressure, but nothing new to followers of Christ!

Second, it’s sad how we let our desire for acceptance influence our actions and image of ourselves – especially in light of how God sees us.

So I am not talking about talent and skill – some of us have them in certain areas and some don’t…that was obvious from Susan Boyle’s experience. I am talking about self image and letting what others think suppress our actions.

There are a ton of self-help books and resources out there that seek to build self confidence and image – they are great tools and serve a purpose. My point here is that even before we turn to those resources, we forget the basic and best resource: the fact that God formed us, loves us, and sees us as beautiful! It’s more than a game show with fantastic prizes – it’s the unconditional acceptance and love of the creator of the entire universe! In the words of MC Hammer, the world “…Can’t Touch This”!

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Psalm 139: 13-15

Simon…all the “judges” in our lives…”U Can’t Touch This!”

WORD!

x

The choruses in two favorite songs speak to this – one from The David Crowder Band and the other from Tommy Walker:

Everything Glorious
David Crowder

You make ev’rything glorious
You make ev’rything glorious
You make ev’rything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?

He Knows My Name
Tommy Walker

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call
He hears me when I call

x

Amen & Peace out!

BTW, my wife had to stay home – she pulled a muscle in her back the day before

Alone in the car (my choices are expanded…my wife and I appreciate different kinds of music at times), dark outside (so no one can really SEE me singing at the top of my lungs)…hmmm – sounds like a good time for a David Crowder Band session – their Remedy Club Tour CD to be specific. [Shout out to my fellow Crowderians Ben, Joel, and Pat]

There are so many favorites on this CD, but tonight I keyed on one song: Foreverandever Etc. Certainly the “moment of corporate whistling” and the shout out to the 80’s (A-Team, Bon Jovi, leg warmers?, and Super Mario) are great (and fun!); but the lyrics are profound (yes, David Crowder and “profound” in the same sentence!)

Profound because of two things: God’s love and the thought of “FOREVER”.

God’s Love
Not a long description here, just consider God’s love for YOU/me in light of the definitions from two key words in the song:

• Incredible: So extraordinary as to seem impossible.
• Indelible: That cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed, or the like.

“Forever”
Having just left a great time of worshiping God with my church family, the thought of spending FOREVER with them “at [Christ’s] feet” was overwhelming. As much as we tried to express our love and adoration for God in that room, to think that one day we will sing before Jesus and see Him smile – well, what can I say. [Hey, I’m sure there will even be corporate whistling!]

Anyway…‘nuff said!

BTW, in my senior picture, my hair looked somewhat akin to David’s… No beard though!

Foreverandever Etc.

Love so incredible to know
It’s never gonna go, never gonna go
Love too impossible and true
For anyone but You, for anyone but You
I think I’m on the brink of something large
Maybe like the breaking of a dawn
Or maybe like a match being lit
Or the sinking of a ship, letting go gives a better grip

I’m finding everything I’ll ever need
By giving up, gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet, where I want to be
I am Yours

Love so indelible to know
You’re never gonna go
You’re never gonna go
Love too unthinkable and true
For anyone but You
For anyone but You

Forever and ever and ever and ever and…

Written by David Crowder, Jack Parker, and Mike Dodson ©2005 worshiptogether.com Songs / sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Admin by EMI CMG Publishing / Inot Music (ASCAP)

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