Twenty years ago in November, U2’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was released. A week ago, the band re-issued a 20 year anniversary addition of the CD and additional material. This brought back a lot of memories for me as this is when a lot of serious health problems began, and when I had my stroke, ironically, after coming back from seeing U2 in Colorado on the Vertigo tour from this release of How to Dismantle.
I thought that I would do something different over the next several weeks on the blog, and tie this CD in to new readers and my old readers with music. Music is often something that has been something special to me, and as I have grown and seen what goes on at deeper levels, my tastes have changed and I have removed things that are no longer pleasing to God or resonate in my Spirit.
U2 was something, I would say that saved my life many times, and kept me connected to God, and dare I say, kept me holding on when I was very close to death. This release has a lot of meaning to me, and as I reflect, there are some areas where I feel like I am “in the desert trying to dismantle an atomic bomb” as Bono referred to, which is ourselves.
Sometimes that atomic bomb within can take many shapes and forms, and it isn’t always known or clear at times. When we take the time to do the work with the Holy Spirit, things can shift, but often times, it can feel like we are in the wilderness, and I feel that right now in my own life. I see many problems going on in the world, and many false things going on in the church. Having been steeped in the new age and the occult, sometimes, people who have come out of this have a different perspective and see things that most Christians wouldn’t. It isn’t a superiority thing, however, I do feel that our discernment radar is off the charts more than others.
I think the gift that we have to learn coming out of that life, is learning to stay focused on being the Light and being in the word. I see many of my christian friends waking up and asking, what is really going on. I have seen many of those things in my former life, and all I can really say is that it took a lot of years to dismantle that atomic bomb, I am sure there is more underneath the surface.
The opening track is Vertigo. To me, this song is kinda chaotic. This song to me spoke a lot to me when I had my stroke and learned of a condition that I was born with after having the initial event. “Lights go down, it's dark. The jungle is your head, can't rule your heart. A feeling's so much stronger than a thought. Your eyes are wide and though your soul, it can't be bought Your mind can wander. Hello, hello (hola). I’m at a place called Vertigo (¿dónde está?) It's everything I wish I didn't know. Except you give me something. I can feel, feel.” I remember feeling very out of sorts when my event happened and sometimes the events we go through in life, can often feel like we are going through a jungle. We can often feel like a feeling is stronger than a thought, which is why we are called to take every thought captive and we are to question everything that exalts itself above God.
I think sometimes this gets hard or we get complacent, because we are bombarded by everything that is happening in our life and around us. Again, I would ask all of you to pray individually, but if you deeply examine the culture, it truly does appear to be a life vs. an anti-life culture. You do have to question at times in every area of our life if we are selling out on some level.
That is why I have really encouraged everyone to turn yourself daily into God, and ask for correction, and to not be afraid to do so.
want to leave this song to all of you to have fun and go through, but one of the lines that hits me very powerfully in these times is the following: All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt
Hello, hello (hola)
We're at a place called Vertigo (¿dónde está?)
Lights go down, and all I know
Is that you give me something
I can feel your love teaching me how
Your love is teaching me how
How to kneel
Kneel
This reminds me when Satan tempts Jesus in the garden and offers him everything if he submits to his leadership and authority. Jesus rebukes him. I think about the things I have been faced with lately and how much we have to lean not on our own understanding, but sometimes, have to go to the secret place and rest and live with the Lord. At every turn, we are being offered “All of this can be yours, just give me what I want, and no one gets hurt.”
I think about deeply of what I have been trying to overcome with one basic need from going through my medical hardship and I can see how God is asking me to trust Him and how his love is teaching me how to kneel. I think for me, I don’t ever want to not be accountable or do my part. I think so much this is why men are failing today and why men fail women. We lack accountability and we lack true leadership and consistency. Nonetheless, these passages speak to me.
I hope you enjoy a different journey on accountability for the next 12 weeks. Drop your feedback. Enjoy the song in the link below:
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