3 posts tagged “surprises”

In his spiritual autobiography, Surprised by Joy, Lewis defines Joy with the following passage:

The central story of my life...is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy (which has)... only one characteristic in common with Happiness and Pleasure; the fact that any one who has experienced it will want it again. Apart from that, and considered only in its quality, it might almost equally well be called a particular kind of unhappiness or grief. But then it is a kind we want. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is.

This definition gives the clue to the title of his book, for Lewis's spiritual awakening will be along the lines of being "surprised" by the existence and experience of this kind of "unsatisfied desire."

I think this paragraph is significant also for much of what Lewis writes about elsewhere in terms of "greater pleasure" and "greater love."

As I read it, I have found this description to be true, and yet, I've never thought of joy and pleasure in this way. How much brokenness in ourselves and in the world would be healed if we could remember this simple but profound truth: "...Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is."

A couple of years ago (Feb 2005), Kenneth Yu writes a helpful summary of an episode of South Park that parodies the Contemporary Christian Music scene:

In Christian Hard Rock, Cartman concocts another scam in an effort to win yet another bet with Kyle. This time round, the challenge takes the form of who will first earn a platinum record. Cartman decides that the fastest way to achieve that is to break into Christian rock. The formula of imitation is ludicrous, which in his words, is to "take regular old songs, and add Jesus stuff to them". Hence, we have such lyrics as "I need you in my life, Jesus" and "I just can't live with you, Jesus" in place of terms of affection like "babe" and "darling". Unfortunately, the parody hits closer to home than one cares to admit. As the faith it represents transcends new grounds beyond the layer of judgmental fundamentalism, its music still has a lot of catching up to do.

It is hard to believe now, in today's cultural scene, that Amy Grant took flak in 1986 for a song which made no explicit reference to God ("Find a Way" on Unguarded) or, even worse, for later releasing an album on a "secular" label (Heart in Motion, 1991).

(Thanks to the St. James Encyclopaedia of Pop Culture for reminding me of these dates and song titles, and for Google's cacheing old articles!)

What was seen then (and perhaps now, by some still) as a compromise in fact represented a holy rebellion against bad art for the sake of the "not much better" message.

Now, almost 20 years later, so much has changed. Thanks to a number of cultural developments, the Church is growing up. No longer content with "seeker sensitive," she is thinking more about mission.

Some of the same controversy remains in worship debates, but in terms of popular music, many understand today what seemed obscure two decades ago: our faith ought to compel us to hate bad art, not baptize it with an explicit "message" about God.

Perhaps better than any other recent band in the genre of "Christian but Mainstream," Relient K typifies this new paradigm. They make good music, enjoy doing it, and along the way, here and there, we discover a parable-like quality to their poetry that connects people to transcendence across the religious spectrum. That includes Christians who are tired of platitudes.

Part of that "connecting" includes the element of surprise.

With their most recent release, Five Score and Seven Years Ago (March 2007), Relient K does a great job of

confounding even their Christian fan base with the song, "Faking My Own Suicide." Not one of the reviews on iTunes manages to deal with this song. The fans like it but can't quite figure out why. The most they can say is, "It has a country twang," or, "Its a little weird."

An analysis by one music critic gives this explanation:

Infatuation is viewed through a fisheye lens in "Faking My Own Suicide," wherein the narrator (with a wink and a nod to the classic 1970's comedy Harold and Maude) fantasizes about faking a suicide attempt to gain the attention—and affection—of his dream girl.

Maybe the folks don't get it because they've not seen the film?

In any event, everyone agrees though that this song is typical of a band who likes to defy expectations with their work. Hmm. Seems like another Teacher taught in unexpected ways as well.

"Why is the Rabbi speaking with a woman?" or "Why do you heal on the Sabbath?" or "Why are you in a Tax Collector's home?" How about, "If the Rabbi knew she was a sinner, He wouldn't let her touch him."

Behind all of Jesus' surprises is a Big Story that shows a God of the upside down: raising up sinners, exalting rejects, beautifying the ugly, and...those who are in power and prestige are left holding the bag. And its empty.

Here are the lyrics to that song. Can you find the Big Story in these?

Faking My Own Suicide

So I've made up my mind
I will pretend
To leave this world behind
And in the end
You'll know I've lied
To get your attention
I'm faking my own suicide

I'm faking my own suicide
Because I know you love me
You just haven't realized
I'm faking my own suicide
They'll hold a double funeral
Because a part of you will die
Along with me

Wish you thought that I was dead
So rather than me
You'd be depressed instead
And before arriving at my grave
You'd come to the conclusion
You've loved me all your days
But it's too late
Too late for you to say

Because I'm faking my own suicide
Because I know you love me
You just haven't realized
I'm faking my own suicide
They'll hold a double funeral

Because a part of you will die
Along with me

I'll write you a letter that
You'll keep
Reminding you your love for me
Is more than six feet deep
You say aloud that you
Would've been my wife
Right about that time
Is when I come back to life
And let you know
I'd let you know (whooaa)

I was faking my own suicide
Because I know you loved me
You just never realized
I was faking my own suicide
I'll walk in that room and
See your eyes open so wide
I've been so lost
Because you know
Because you know
You will never leave my sight
(you will never leave my sight)
Until the day that I die for the first time
(until I die for the first time)
And we'll laugh, yeah we'll laugh
And we will cry
So overjoyed with the love
That saved my life
Our love is so alive

Reading today I came across an article that described how we can manage trials and changes (most of which come unexpectedly into our lives). The advice given was to have a heart attack at the beginning of each day--i.e., allowing God's truth, God's will, to conform our hearts and desires to Himself.

Besides reminding me that I need to come to my daily reading of Scripture with this kind of expectant attitude, it also reminded me why I like Luther so much, because he quoted Luther's own version of what he called a heart attack: "God, forgive me for the best deeds I'm about to commit."

Ah, Brother Martin, bless you!