An Old Song, An Old Verse, A New Experience

So tonight my devotions led me to what is probably my favorite lyrical passage in the Bible. Romans 8:31-39. Anytime I think of Romans I think of the final verses of this passage. How absolutely grand in scope and idea it is, how poetic and exacting it was (for the Jewish people of the time especially), and how it first overwhelmed me.

I first heard about this verse through a song (Cue: 90s Christian Alt/Rock in the background). One of my earliest encounters with music that differed from my parents was The Kry, introduced to me by a man who helped shape me spiritually during my formative years, Bob Underwood. Himself a recovered alcoholic with a startling and inspiring testimony, Bob was a music lover, having been formed himself by rock bands of the 70s and 80s. So upon his conversion, he became an aficionado of all things Christian music -- especially along the Metal and Heavy Rock side of the niche industry (at that time; now Christian music is out of control -- I heard a lyric the other day that talked about giving "God a fist bump"? Really? Not that it's any worse than the drivel on any other radio station though. But this is another issue entirely.).

Back to Bob. So Bob, as our instructor in church doctrines, he also versed us in the music arena. Everything from White Heart and White Cross to other bands I can't even remember now. He gave us tapes of all kinds of bands.  Issues of HM Magazine (Heaven's Metal Magazine). Most I never could get into. Heavy Rock and Metal is really not my thing. But the Kry I could get into. More stripped down Rock, or fossilized Rock. Rock music that sounded old and tired. But I liked their lyrics. I liked their melodies. In particular I liked two songs off their self-titled album from '94. "Take My Hand" (which I wrote about here once) and "I Believe in You". At the end of the latter song a child's voice drifts in as the rock chorus/guitar solo/orchestra fades dramatically. The child reads the verse from Romans. And that verse has stuck with me ever since.

Tonight I read the verse. I listened to the song again. Sure enough, it doesn't really hold up musically. Quite dated. Even lyrically it's not at all to my tastes these days. But something resonated anyway. I still knew all the words. Instantly. From the first overture of the melody in the :30 prelude of the song I was singing the words. And just as eagerly as I listened 17 years ago I listened again tonight. And I was still awestruck by the reciting voice at the end. Still simple. Still powerful.

This idea of being inseparable...stretching the neck on it a little. Humming the tune, the words, the scriptures in my head. Moments that mold us we can't ever seem to separate ourselves from. It's the microcosm of the idea Paul had in mind. That we are always connected. Always. Not only not able to be separated, but always connected. To those individual spiritual experiences, those individual life experiences that impact us in a moment, impact us billions of moments later.

And also this: That Love itself is a great thing to be unable to be separated from.