Friday, January 18, 2008

Rich Mullins... and have you ever felt like this?

Rich Mullins was a fantastic Christian songwriter whose career was cut short by a tragic auto accident eleven years ago. 

I love hearing a song and being able to relate to it, thinking, "I know how that feels, because I've been there."

So while listening to "The Jesus Record", Rich's last work, I was transfixed by the lyrics of "Hard To Get" this morning.  What poetry!  It doesn't express how I'm feeling at the present time, but it brought back to me how many times I have been in this frame of mind.  And surely will be again.

Here are the words:


                                           HARD TO GET
                                             Rich Mullins

You who live in heaven
Hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth:
Who are afraid of being left by those we love
And who get hardened by the hurt.
Do you remember when You lived down here where we all scrape
To find the faith to ask for daily bread?
Did You forget about us after You had flown away?
Well I memorized every word You said...
Still I'm so scared, I'm holding my breath
While You're up there just playing hard to get.

You who live in radiance
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin.
We have a love that's not as patient as Yours was,
Still we do love now and then.
Did You ever know loneliness?
Did You ever know need?
Do You remember just how long a night can get
When You were barely holding on
And Your friends fall asleep
And don't see the blood that's running in Your sweat?
Will those who mourn be left uncomforted
While You're up there just playing hard to get?

And I know you bore our sorrows
And I know you feel our pain.
And I know it would not hurt any less
Even if it could be explained.
And I know that I am only lashing out
At the One who loves me most;
And after I have figured this, somehow,
All I really need to know

Is if You who live in eternity
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in time.
We can't see what's ahead
And we can not get free of what we've left behind.
I'm reeling from these voices that keep screaming in my ears,
All the words of shame and doubt, blame and regret.
I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here
To where I'm lost enough to let myself be led.
And so, You've been here all along I guess:
It's just Your ways and You are just plain hard to get.

----------------
Now playing: Rich Mullins - Man of No Reputation
via FoxyTunes   

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

One more way you have enriched my life.  Thank You.

Anonymous said...

Boy, those lyrics really are beautifully put together!  

Anonymous said...

I LOVE Rich Mullins and was crushed when he died.  I grew up listening to him as a teen...one of my fav songs is "Our God is an Awesome God"  I was lucky enough to see him perform once at my church!!!  He was so cool and so down to earth I will never forget it.  He stood on the stage barefoot and had a diet coke sitting on a stool!  

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of him, but I have heard the song, "AN AWESOME GOD" & I love it.  The song above is beautiful.  Maybe I'll search for some of this music of his.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

That's very nicely written.

xoxo