Aiming,though often failing 'to become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some'. Join with me in these reflections,discussions, videos and even humour about how we might become truly authentic in mission:Contextual yet Biblical:Passionate, but also Compassionate:In Word, as well as in Deed.The Spirit of Jesus within is calling each of his followers to reach out and fulfil the Missio Dei in a world of pain and need.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
The Presence of the Lord: Eric Clapton and Blind Faith.
There is something about this song that seems so authentic as regards an inner experience of God.It was written in 1969 and for a short time after this Eric Clapton claimed to have had a 'born again' experience.And sadly, though many declare as Eric did here :'I have finally found a way to live just like I never could before', like the Galatians, and virtually all of us inluding myself, though we start in the Spirit, we then trust in the flesh for our strength.
Many people have indeed been touched by God in a very personal way at one stage of their lives.Many are still 'going on' with God some are not.Some so called 'very sound'believers who have at one time tasted of God's presence however are living on the strength of their past experience. They now know more theology,they have done more evangelism, they have led more Bible study groups, they have even preached in churches, but, the closeness, the sweetness, the joy of that presence that they experienced 5,10,20,30 years ago is now but a distant memory.In short they have either lost their first love,or they have settled down to living the Christian life without his presence.Their Christian walk is purely in their heads but not in their hearts.
What a tragedy is this. If if this true of you my dear brother and sister-go now to Him, fall at his feet and He will take you into his heart-as Christ says of Himself:'I am lowly and gentle of heart and you will find rest for your souls.'Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow.As F.W.Faber declares:
God loves to be longed for, He loves to be sought,
For He sought us Himself with such longing and love;
He died for desire of us, marvelous thought!
And He longs for us now to be with Him above'
He calls you today:please heed His call.AK
Presence of the Lord
I have finally found a way to live just like I never could before.
I know that I dont have much to give, but I can open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a way to live in the color of the lord.
I have finally found a place to live just like I never could before.
And I know I dont have much to give, but soon Ill open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a place to live in the presence of the lord.
In the presence of the lord.
I have finally found a way to live just like I never could before.
And I know I dont have much to give, but I can open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, I said everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a way to live in the color of the lord.
In the color of the lord.
I love this song and in fact the entire album "Blind Faith." All of these songs remind me of the time just before I gave my life to the Lord, when I first came in contact with the Jesus people movement in Edmonton, Alberta. They met at an old recycled Presbyterian church building renamed "People's Church." (This has absolutely no connexion to "People's Temple" and the Jim Jones tragedy.)
ReplyDeleteThe music that these early Jesus freaks sang in their services was not like those on the Blind Faith album or anything, but somehow the tone of their lifestyle and the tone of this album to me seems the same.
This was in 1971. I never did turn my life over to Christ when I was in Edmonton and visiting People's Church. But I was soooo close to doing it, that the flesh rebelled mightily and put me in a talespin that I didn't come out of till November 6, 1975, when I finally DID do what I should've done then.
Anyway, looooove this music, as I said, and it is still in my musical frame of reference, I mean, I still listen to it from time to time, if not exactly regularly. (I actually sing to myself way more than I listen to music on CD.)
How could I have been so hard, with the Holy Spirit convicting me while I listened to lyrics like, "Come down off your throne, and leave your body alone, somebody must change…"? To this day I don't know what the song is supposed to mean from the author's view, but to me, it was the Lord telling me to yield the throne of my heart to Him.
Glory to God! He is so faithful and so patient!
God bless you.
ReplyDeleteFantastic song by the way,
In the Glorious Life giving name of Jesus Christ,
Mark
Thank you for comments Romanos.You obviously know much more about the song than muself so the info and its part in your spiritual journey was particularly interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark for your comments.
ReplyDeleteTHis song is brilliant.
ReplyDelete