Last night I went to the first Christian concert I've been to in English in a very long time. It was the most authentic, worshipful concert I'd ever attended in my life. Citizen Way, Jason Gray, and Big Daddy Weave shared not only their music, but also their hearts with us, and my heart was deeply touched by theirs. I'd never been to an event before where 4 men (each during separate moments) got choked up as they spoke in front of a few hundred people. This was real, and it was amazingly beautiful. They talked about pain, they talked about crying, they talked about situations that have broken their hearts and caused them to experience deep suffering. And, they reminded us that Jesus understands pain. He suffered tremendously on the cross for us, and he is with us now and loves us, even in our darkest moments. Thanks be to God! And, on the cross, he defeated sin and death. He is way bigger than all my problems. He is big and powerful, and intimately close.
Thse who spoke and sang encouraged us to be better friends and not slap bandaids of easy answers or platitudes on the wounds hurting people share with us. Listening, hugging, and making a casserole are much more beneficial. We need to let ourselves and others experience (and not stuff, ignore, brush aside, etc.) emotions and present them to God. Oh, Body of Christ, that we would rise up and care for each other and be one as Jesus prayed we would! (John 17). And that we would be more willing, selfless vessels for God to use! As Jason Gray sang last night, "God put a million, million doors in the world for his love to walk through, one of those doors is you." May his love walk through us, unhindered.
Big Daddy Weave ushered us into God's presence--on a couple occasions the thought that came to mind was:
This is such awesome, beautiful worship-- and it is only a tiny little foretaste of what heaven will be like!!! WOW! As the time to close approached, Mike of Big Daddy Weave confessed they are figuring out how to end their concerts well. Being in God's presence like that is so awesome and beautiful. Nobody wanted to stop, yet at some point we all had to go home. So, their tour manager shared a bit and then prayed for us all: a prayer of faith, love, solidarity, encouragement, freedom, and power.
In this world of brokenness, suffering, misunderstandings, imperfection, failure, terrorism, sickness, etc., these guys gave us a glimpse of heaven and indeed, the things of earth grew strangely dim in the light of God's glory and grace. All evening, the gospel was spoken clearly and all the stories and songs were life-giving: it was wondrous balm for the soul. They were doors through which love was walking boldly and I am enormously encouraged and grateful. It also gave me hope: if there are deep, authentic, Jesus-loving married men out there, surely there must still be some single ones too! ;)
Afterwards, the band members all hung around, and people were free to approach them for a chat, autographs, and pictures. I was able to talk with members of each one and thank them for their authenticity. Jason Gray (center guy in the picture) read me an encouraging quote by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross about pain molding us into something beautiful. What a special gift! I'm so grateful I was able to go and have such a wonderful, encouraging evening!
