I recently purchased a new song on itunes, "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects. I don't know much about this group aside from three songs that were popular a couple of years ago. But I enjoyed this song a lot, and since I bought it and listened to it (I'm listening to it right now), I found some deep stuff embedded in the lyrics.
I want to share with you the theology that I find in the song. While it's not a "Christian" song (by the way, can a "song" be "Christian"?), I submit that there's a message from God in there. Consider these lyrics...
I'm going to do the proverbial post-modern move of interpreting for myself the meaning of this song - my apologies if I'm way off the original intentions of the song's writers.
I find the song to be filled with hope, and for me, as a follower of the living God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ, I find there's a message, a reminder, of hope in God's presence and strength. This is evidenced in the lyrics "When you fall everyone stands", and "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong".
The first reference reminds me that I'm not alone - I am a part of a church, the Church - and that when I "fall", my church, my brother and sister Christians, are there to help me. Whether it be from sin (to restore my gently - hopefully!), or from grief (to bring comfort and help), I am not along, for when I fall "everyone" stands around me.
The second reference calls me to remember that I can, that I need to call out to God in prayer. "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong" alludes to when I'm in the midst of struggles and suffering, God is waiting for me - patiently, I might add - to call out to Him. He doesn't want me to forget Him on the best of days, for He is the source of all good things. But He definitely doesn't want me to forget Him when things are wrong. When I've exhausted myself, emotionally and physically, God wants me to "speak to [Him]", even amidst the temptation "keep [is] strong".
These lyrics offer us a reminder that while we all have to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of God's Word, He will also reveal "truth" reminders to us even in some "secular" sources.
I want to share with you the theology that I find in the song. While it's not a "Christian" song (by the way, can a "song" be "Christian"?), I submit that there's a message from God in there. Consider these lyrics...
Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone stands
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold
Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along Move along
I'm going to do the proverbial post-modern move of interpreting for myself the meaning of this song - my apologies if I'm way off the original intentions of the song's writers.
I find the song to be filled with hope, and for me, as a follower of the living God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ, I find there's a message, a reminder, of hope in God's presence and strength. This is evidenced in the lyrics "When you fall everyone stands", and "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong".
The first reference reminds me that I'm not alone - I am a part of a church, the Church - and that when I "fall", my church, my brother and sister Christians, are there to help me. Whether it be from sin (to restore my gently - hopefully!), or from grief (to bring comfort and help), I am not along, for when I fall "everyone" stands around me.
The second reference calls me to remember that I can, that I need to call out to God in prayer. "Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong" alludes to when I'm in the midst of struggles and suffering, God is waiting for me - patiently, I might add - to call out to Him. He doesn't want me to forget Him on the best of days, for He is the source of all good things. But He definitely doesn't want me to forget Him when things are wrong. When I've exhausted myself, emotionally and physically, God wants me to "speak to [Him]", even amidst the temptation "keep [is] strong".
These lyrics offer us a reminder that while we all have to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of God's Word, He will also reveal "truth" reminders to us even in some "secular" sources.
