A couple of nights ago we went to see Casting Crowns and Matt Maher and Hannah Kerr in Concert. It was good to see the whose voices are the tunes that I like to sing and listen to. My family has been a big fan of Casting Crowns for as long as I remember. I do like the style and the lyrics of Matt Maher's music but I just learned his name before the concert. Hannah Kerr is a promising artist - I like her songs. However, the point of this post is about something else.
Every once in a while during the concert, the lights would be directed towards the audience. Maybe to reassure the performers that the people are enjoying and therefore to be encouraged. With my cell phone I was able to capture a picture of the people standing and singing with M. Maher. When I looked at the picture the next morning, it occurred to me that the sight could have been a miniaturized version of what we can look forward to when we get to heaven: People of all nations singing together praises to the Lamb who was slain. It is a beautiful sight! To imagine that the whole world of believers will be in there singing to the Lord is hair-raising. And yet, the bible says that only a soft glimmer of what's to come is all we know and can imagine. I think that God wants to surprise His bride. I'm fine with that! What has been revealed to us are truths we must treasure as anchor of our hope until we get there.
One Person on the Throne. In heaven the Superstar will be on stage - the throne. "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!"
Our favorite band will not be on stage. We will not be screaming because our most respected artist speaks of something we believe. We will not be whistling at the musical rhythm nor screaming at the drummers' boss beat. No. We will have undivided focus on the true superstar - the only one worthy of awe. He is the only one we will be praising. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.
We attend Christian concerts but most of the time we are fan-girling the artists. Yes, we close our eyes when we sing the lyrics that says "Holy Holy Holy..." but it is highly questionable whether we are focused on God. When we hear the artist say something we believe is true we scream. I doubt that we are screaming at the paraphrased truth from the bible. Maybe it is as simple as the thought that my pet artist is theologically correct.
One Person-Audience and Judge. Here on earth before we get to heaven, we are on stage during our whole life - to please an audience of One - God. Here on earth his eyes are on us. Our approval rating is determined by Him alone.
The ratings we get from the people we respect are null when it comes to our eternal position. The spotlights on the people we so favorably followed in our days will be turned off. And we will stand in front of God and we will be measured based on how much we loved and obeyed Him.
I am reminded of the presidential candidate Donald Trump when he said that he thinks he won the debates based on polls done by different agencies and he names a few including ABC. But according to Stephen Colbert, ABC did not do a poll.
It is sad that we live our lives trying to get high approval rating on all accounts but often times we are using the wrong polls to determine our success.
If we analyze the lyrics of the songs of these artists, we get the message. Because they based their songs on the words of the bible. But in the Christian life there is a great divide between knowing and living out a truth. Like a little kid getting carried away by the box instead of the toy inside.
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." ~Psalm 139.23
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