(I’m not sure all the words are exact, but it’s close)

You’ve got a cause now, I heard You braggin’.
Always the fastest
One on the bandwagon.
So sit Down and I’ll tell you, what I’m Feeling, what I am feeling.
For lack of better words you are Stealing, you are stealing,
All of my joy away from me.
What ever happened to our unity?

We cut ourselves, limbs we’ve severed.
It’s time for us to pull together and stand, as one.
All eyes are turning towards the Son.
Drop your fists now, what you resent.
Let’s not forget who we represent.
And fall to our knees in unity.

Another day now, another doctrine,
Another monkey wrench in the system.
Some folks kneelin’, some just listen,
Some fallin’ out of the pews from twistin’.
I don’t care kids, how you do it.
United we’ll stand and we can pull through it.
All were dead once.
All enslaved.
Now pull together ’cause we’ve all been saved.

We cut ourselves, limbs we’ve severed.
It’s time for us to pull together and stand, as one.
All eyes are turning towards the Son.
Drop your fists now, what you resent.
Let’s not forget who we represent.
And fall to our knees in unity.

The only Jesus this world’s gonna see, is the Jesus in you and me.
So pick your cross up, stop your swingin’.
Stop and look at the stink you’re bringin’ to this body with your fighting, you bust more more knuckles than the wrongs your righting.

What’s important, is where we relate, it’s the meaning of the word

Amalgamate…

We cut ourselves, limbs we’ve severed.
It’s time for us to pull together and stand, as one.
All eyes are turning towards the Son.
Drop your fists now, what you resent.
Let’s not forget who we represent.
And fall to our knees in unity.

–Five Iron Frenzy “Amalgamate”

I just received some saddening news, the details of which I will not share right now. Suffice to say I am so frustrated with the Church, my church, a few people that make up my church…I’m not sure…maybe just people in general. I’ve been praying for some specific people to have dramatic changes if heart that can only be attributed to God. From where I sit, which is very far from the omnipotence of Yahweh, these people have stubbornly refused to heed advice and change. Ah, but those ever-important words “Your Will Be Done” keep echoing in my head. All things work together for those who love God. I think Paul just forgot to mention that we may not always like how it works together! This certainly isn’t the answer I prayed for. I mean, this!? THIS is the Bride Jesus died for? Really?! She has chopped off her own appendages, has undergone so much plastic surgery, is so divided that it seems she has developed multiple personality disorder. She is so fake, hiding behind so many masks. Will He even recognize her at the Wedding Feast? If Christ is the Healer and Counselor, why do we cause each other so much heartache and anguish that we have to hide? As much as I hate to give a cookie cutter answer, I suppose the best explanation I can come up with is this: if we were all perfect imitators of Christ, we would love others like ourselves. We would even go beyond this and always put the needs of others above our own wants and needs. After all, this is what every moment of Jesus’ life here on Earth was about. The sad truth is that we are not perfect. Hard as we may try, we get tired, worn out, careless, and selfish. In fact, Satan’s whole intent is to wear us down and pit us against one another to pull us away from God. We become so preoccupied fighting Satan, this world, and ourselves, that we lose sight of the needs of others. And so we have what we have…an imperfect institution. That’s just my guess. I wish I knew how to put the Head back on the Body. I see the symptoms but am at a loss for the cure. I suppose we all just keep praying and loving each other the best we can and the Great Physician will work out the rest.

On a lighter note, aren’t we about due for another wave of ska? isn’t it like every 10 or 20 years ska comes back around?