Last time I wrote (Oct. 6, see below) I was imagining how our lives can be like a swampy struggle to keep our heads above water. And I got more responses to this post (through emails or in person) than any other.
One person told me how much it reminded her of a song by Jack’s Mannequin called Swim. And when she showed me the lyrics, I was blown away. They acknowledge how tough life can be — like choking on the salt water of a tidal wave — but also hint that you can keep swimming when there’s someone beside you, promising that the other side is not as far away as you think.
Then she played the song for me, and as compelling as the lyrics were, the music was even more so. It was such a gift to me to know — not just “head” knowing but the “deep in my bones” knowing that music conveys so well — that I truly am not alone in my need to have someone walk (or swim) beside me.
I’d love to hear what songs keep you going. Maybe we can share that with each other here on the blog. Give it some thought.
The song Swim ends with words that I can imagine God singing to me when I’m feeling pulled down:
You gotta swim
One person told me how much it reminded her of a song by Jack’s Mannequin called Swim. And when she showed me the lyrics, I was blown away. They acknowledge how tough life can be — like choking on the salt water of a tidal wave — but also hint that you can keep swimming when there’s someone beside you, promising that the other side is not as far away as you think.
Then she played the song for me, and as compelling as the lyrics were, the music was even more so. It was such a gift to me to know — not just “head” knowing but the “deep in my bones” knowing that music conveys so well — that I truly am not alone in my need to have someone walk (or swim) beside me.
I’d love to hear what songs keep you going. Maybe we can share that with each other here on the blog. Give it some thought.
The song Swim ends with words that I can imagine God singing to me when I’m feeling pulled down:
You gotta swim
Swim in the dark
There's an ocean to drift in
Feel the tide shifting away from the spark
Yeah you gotta swim
Don't let yourself sink
Just follow the horizon
I promise you it's not as far as you think
The currents will drag us away from our love
Just keep your head above
Just keep your head above
Swim
All kinds of currents drag me away from God’s love, but God’s pull is stronger. And God’s faithful love holds my head up while I swim toward that shore where I can rest a while.
Plenty of the songs/poems of the Bible (aka “psalms”) are similar to Swim in a way. They’re creative expressions of anguish... of sickness or depression or grief. It’s like digging out all your inside ugliness and artistically rearranging the pieces until the whole becomes something with a strange beauty of its own.
Don’t expect the Psalms to be articulate research papers of what to believe. They’re pretty much raw expressions of everything from ecstatic joy to homicidal anger to suicidal grief. They can be companions, friends to let you know you’re not the only one breathing fire or feeling high on life.
You can click on the title of this post to read Psalm 46, where the lyricist sees God in the natural world and in politics as well. But the most profound experience of God comes in the sense of safety in the middle of it all. And that link, BibleGateway, may be one you want to keep handy to find other psalms to check out (there are 150 of them, so you won't run out fast).
Just keep your head above
Swim
All kinds of currents drag me away from God’s love, but God’s pull is stronger. And God’s faithful love holds my head up while I swim toward that shore where I can rest a while.
Plenty of the songs/poems of the Bible (aka “psalms”) are similar to Swim in a way. They’re creative expressions of anguish... of sickness or depression or grief. It’s like digging out all your inside ugliness and artistically rearranging the pieces until the whole becomes something with a strange beauty of its own.
Don’t expect the Psalms to be articulate research papers of what to believe. They’re pretty much raw expressions of everything from ecstatic joy to homicidal anger to suicidal grief. They can be companions, friends to let you know you’re not the only one breathing fire or feeling high on life.
You can click on the title of this post to read Psalm 46, where the lyricist sees God in the natural world and in politics as well. But the most profound experience of God comes in the sense of safety in the middle of it all. And that link, BibleGateway, may be one you want to keep handy to find other psalms to check out (there are 150 of them, so you won't run out fast).
And if you'd like to read the rest of Swim's lyrics, here's one of many sites you could go to: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jacksmannequin/swim.html
~ Kari Henkelmann Keyl
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