In my part of the world spring has temporarily sprung. Now, I live in the midwest, where we notoriously experience false springs and second and third and fourth winters, and then head straight into horribly hot summer. It's weird weather in these parts to be sure, but you'll notice a common theme with this post from 2014 - around the end of February, we often experience a much needed moment or two of beautiful spring!
This year more than ever, we've been cooped up over the winter months, staying safely at home to prevent the spread of COVID, but becoming increasingly bored and antsy as the days drag on. So whether this spring-like weather is here to stay or only teasing us, it's a welcome reprieve to be able to head outdoors without a coat on and feel the tiniest bit of warmth on our faces.
Is it odd to say this time of year feels like church to me? To be able to see the world coming back to life, people emerging from their home-cocoons, plants showing their heads again through patches of melted snow, fresh air coming in through an open window - my spirit changes, my soul starts to refill.
Church can be anywhere. As Paul says in the midst of the passage of Acts which the God Remix blog in its entirety is inspired by:
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands [...] he is actually not far from each one of us." - Acts 17:24, 27
Find those moments and places that feel like church to you. Whether you attend a physical church or not, those church-like moments in your spirit and soul are important. We need to be filled, to be lifted, to sense that breath of peace and freedom that certain environments seem to imbue in the air around us. This is finding God. He is actually not far from each one of us.
The pandemic has given artistic creators an unexpected freedom to experiment and collaborate in unique ways. The popularity of the song I'm sharing today has its roots in social media platform TikTok, which I am neither young enough nor cool enough to use proficiently if I'm honest, but luckily a friend shared it with me. TikTok has become a creative gold mine lately, as people have shared and written music together in formats which never existed before. For this particular song, debut songwriter Jonah Kagen shared pieces of his music and lyrics on TikTok and asked other users to fill in gaps he left with their lyrics, creating beautiful mini duets and building connections with an audience, before eventually sharing his own completed version of it. Although the collaborative community and creativity of the duets is inspiring to see unfold, the version Jonah Kagen wrote himself is unmatched, and what I feel compelled to share here.
Any more of my words added to the power of this song will only serve to dilute it. You may hear your own prayer in the lyrics, or the desperate heart of someone God's called you to love, or something else altogether. I hear a memory of several intertwined times God asked me to be a voice of faith and love to those doubting their worth and value, at the end of what they could bear alone.
I hope only that you hear more than mere music. God is found so many places beyond church.
If you or someone you know is struggling past what you or they can handle, reach out for help. You are not alone.
Once upon a time during a car ride with my Dad, a younger me complained about the prevalence of love in almost every song I heard on the radio. It probably didn't help that at the time I listened almost exclusively to Oldies, Natalie Cole, and Elvis, all of which lean pretty heavily on love songs. But it seemed to me that every song I heard was about love in some way, and as a child, it was annoying.
My Dad's wonderful response was to make me a mixed tape (yes, those were the days!) entirely of songs he found NOT about love. It was fantastic, and it's where I first discovered the song The Streak, which became a childhood staple that still makes me laugh. There are, to my childhood surprise, songs out there that do not talk about love!
But the reality is, love is a huge part of the human emotional experience, and so it is a common theme in music. As I've grown, though, it's easy to see that love song lyrics are impossible for anyone to live up to. The object of someone's love is often described with sweeping, all-encompassing phrases - they are described as absolute perfection. And that's how we do see the ones we love at times, however unrealistic these idolized perceptions may be. It's our emotion at the time of love, and music is our avenue for expressing it.
On the other hand, I know in my heart that the one thing all people have in common is that none of us actually are perfect. It's the unifying trait of humanity. In light of that, sometimes when I listen to the lyrics of certain love songs, my mind instinctively turns to the one experience I do have being loved by someone perfect - God. Although likely not the intention of most of the songwriters, Bono aside, many popular artists write lyrics that describe God with incredible insight - because of those sweeping, all-encompassing descriptions of perfect love.
"... love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ... God is love." -1 John 4:7-8
Now please don't hear any of this as the cheesy stereotypical Christian anti-dating sentiment to which I have never subscribed - that we "date" God, and that romantic love is fulfilled by our relationship with God. I personally find that mindset creepy. As my sister happily tells everyone she knows, I have historically been a big fan of dating, and it's always been dates with people, not God. I'm talking strictly about the idea of love, not romance.
With that in mind, on this Valentine's Day I'll share two love songs I (perhaps unexpectedly) hear God's perfection in. Does every lyric fit? No, of course not. What we hear in a song is individual, just as love is. My interpretation focuses on parts which speak to my heart, the lines that jump out to me as formative to whatever journey I'm on at the moment. That's music for you. Maybe you'll hear a reminder of God's perfect nature, maybe not. But regardless, I hope you end your day with a heart full of love of some kind, whether romantic or spiritual or something else entirely.
"No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." -1 John 4:12, 16
**Word of caution for those offended by language or listening in the presence of kids: both songs use mild profanity - in choruses of the first song and the first line of the second song.**
"Never thought I'd be alright, 'til you came and changed my life. What was cloudy now is clear, you're the light that I needed. [...] You are there when I'm a mess, talk me down from every ledge. Give me strength; you're the best. You're the only one who's ever passed every test."
"You see everything, you see every part. You see all my light and you love my dark. [...] What I resist, you love, no matter how low or high I go. [...] There's not anything to which you can't relate. And you're still here."
I needed a reminder of God's presence in the world around me today, and my mind drifted to photographs I saw years ago by then amateur photographer Alexey Kljatov* - extreme closeup macro photography of individual snowflakes:
photos: Alexey Kljatov
Snowflakes. Their name has been a bit maligned in recent years, but can anyone doubt the incredible wonder that is a snowflake? The intricacy of its design, the fleeting nature of its existence - each one so distinct we could spend hours getting to know its features, yet so fragile it could melt in an instant. A better metaphor for human life is hard to find.
These photographs remind me of my favorite section of the psalms:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4)
We don't need a Bible, a preacher, a theology degree, or a Westernized language to see the glory of God. Nature takes care of showing it to us all freely.
photos: Alexey Kljatov
Interestingly, a snowflake's power comes not from its captivating uniqueness, individuality, or fragility. Those traits are impressive. Breathtaking even. They are what draw us in to the creativity and artistry of the one who's created them. However, a snowflake's power comes in the magnitude of community - each of these tiny flakes joining with billions more, to form a snowfall that covers the entirety of a city. Their fragility turned to undeniable might as they topple in unison, forming an avalanche. Individually designed flakes functioning in community together is a phenomenon to be feared for sure, awe-inspiring and imposing and beyond the scope of what can be imagined when looking at a single flake. A better metaphor for humanity may also be hard to find.
photos: Alexey Kljatov
It's a compelling parallel to consider, between snowflake and human life; snowfall and humanity. We must acknowledge the immense range of possibility and collective impact which opens up when snowflakes, or people, join together in community. At the same time, seeing only the magnitude of a tower of snow is not sufficient - we must look closer, at the distinct traits and highly detailed differences of the individuals, in order to fully appreciate the nature of a snowflake, and humankind. Without either aspect, our understanding is incomplete. But we can see God in both.
I personally bend toward the individualistic approach to life. It's easy for me to see and value the personal characteristics which make someone unlike anyone else, and to find the beauty and brilliance of God there. Perhaps this week I'll take some time to reflect on avalanches, and challenge my perspective on community. But for today, I'm content to marvel at the macro photography level - to see God's nature in the unexpected intricacy of a single speck of snow.
"You formed my inward parts, You knitted me together ... I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13-14)
*[Click here to read the artist's own words describing his fascinating photography process in depth, and to see more amazing photos of the snowflakes he shoots.]
