From the musical SONG OF PLENTY…
Monologue Five:
GIRL (continuing letter. . .)
Oh, the difference! Their lives were happy! They had found the plenty they sought. I felt sick and, well, quite a bit jealous.
They invited me to a service with them. I was held in a very plain room (I’ll never forget that room) with a few folding chairs, a simple speaker’s stand, and a rough wooden cross on the wall behind the stand.
The speaker he…well, he was just one of the kids. But as he began his sermon, I could only stare at him, for my imagination clothed him in a flowing robe and I could hear the waters of the Sea of Galilee lapping at the shore.
He laid it on the line. He made it very clear. Mom and Dad, he told me what you’ve been trying to tell me for years. But there was a difference: this time I really listened.
Song:
[You may listen to a recording of this song here and a complete presentation of the musical here.]
God is the Spirit moving in life’s underground,
Inspiring those enslaved to this world
To rebel against their sin and despair.
You can’t control or improve your life
With just your determination.
It takes more than sleepless dreams
And self-made revelations.
God is the Spirit boiling in the souls of men,
Inciting them to conquer the world
And set it on fire with the heat of God’s love.
It takes more than hope and faith
To live in God’s world of spirit.
God must live in you with you as His slave;
That’s how to be free. Please hear it.
God is the Spirit, moving in life’s underground,
Inspiring those enslaved to this world
To rebel against their sin and despair.
God is the Spirit boiling in the souls of men,
Inciting them to conquer the world
And set it on fire with the heat of God’s love.
About this Song:
Jesus was physical. He actually lived on earth and ate and slept and did everything other human beings do. Everything but sin, that is, and even He wasn’t immune from temptation.
But after his his resurrection from death and ascension into Heaven He sent His Holy Spirit to urge us to follow Him and to guide us along the way. So this song focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit in changing our lives.
I think one of the most striking parts of these lyrics is the part about “God must live in you with you as His slave; that’s how to be free.” To the non-Christian, those words undoubtedly make NO sense whatsoever. But those of us who are Believers understand that following Christ is voluntary.
But it’s more than just accepting Him as our Savior. It also means accepting Him as Lord. And as Lord, He is in charge of our lives–to whatever extent we’re willing to let Him be.
Being His servant is a privilege, and obeying Him more completely should be one goal of every prayer we pray.
Next Wednesday I’ll post Monologue Six and “Bring My God Down.”
I write Christian novels as well as songs. The two most recent ones are shown below and their pictures are links to the Amazon pages. The eighteen-book picture is a link to my Amazon Author Page.
I’ll be back again next Wednesday. Please join me then. Better still, sign up to receive these weekly posts by email.
Best regards,
Roger
Links you might be interested in:
As I Come Singing. . . 