In my young adult years (the 70’s), my music taste transitioned from the soft rock and pop I had been raised on all through high school to southern rock. For me, the staples of that genre were the Allman Brothers (the Gregg Allman and Dickie Betts era), the Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, Elvin Bishop, the Outlaws and I would even include ZZ Top (sorry, but I was never a real Lynard Skynard fan … except for Sweet Home Alabama). As I’ve matured (OK, as I’ve gotten old …), it was only natural that I would transition into all things Third Day and Mac Powell. Recently the CD Come to the River by the Rhett Walker Band has also been getting a lot of playtime on my daily commute.
Today this particular song, ‘Brother’, has really been speaking to me … convicting me. Check out the lyrics …
You’re a king and a prisoner
One for each eye
Starting to believe your own lies
You hold every moment
Tight at the throat
But nothing’s ever out of control
You act live you know every answer
Making your world work just right
Never a question, never a doubt in sight
(Refrain)
BROTHER DON’T YOU KNOW
NO ONE’S TOO HIGH TO FALL
NO ONE’S STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THEIR OWN WAY
BROTHER DON’T YOU KNOW
WE’RE ALL JUST BEGGARS AND THIEVES
IN NEED OF THE VERY SAME GRACE
THE VERY SAME GRACE
A days always coming
When our kingdom breaks down
Our plans are like glass on the ground
You act like you know every answer
But missing what matters the most
Confessing our weakness
Cause that’s when God moves in close
Come down off of that mountain
Let go of everything
Come join us who are broken
That mercy is healing.
(REPEAT Refrain)
The lyric ‘in need of the same grace’ convicted me to search out and meditate upon these verses …
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11 (ESV)
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (ESV)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 2 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)
Yes indeed … the reconciled and the to be reconciled are all in need of the very same grace … Thank you Jesus … Lord, never let me forget this truth!
Bernie
