This song’s lyrics penetrate deeply into the wounds of America’s and the worlds soul at this moment of time. As we reflect within, we are beginning to see more and more division and strife, within ourselves, our physical vessels, minds [will, emotions, the psychological part of ourselves], and our spiritual selves. The more technology progresses [which always isn’t a bad thing], the more disconnected and numbed out we become. It seems that in these times, the cycle of creating problems out of fear, and the presenting solutions to these problems are always on some sort of cycle and people so stressed out by trying to survive, cannot seem to figure these things out. We throw in the fact that we are putting toxicity into our minds and bodies on every level, that it is no wonder that our minds, bodies, and spiritual selves are shutting down. We wonder at times why we cannot hear or discern the voice of the Holy Spirit, and meanwhile, at the local sermon, we continue to hand out donuts to the congregation….I digress.
In the song Love, Peace, Or Else, Bono is addressing the themes of war, evil, longing, peace, love in a troubled world or what many would see as what Paul describes in Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly governors, the princes of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness, which are in the high places.”
"Lay down, lay your sweet lovely on the ground, lay your love on the track, we're gonna break the monster's back,” On the vertigo tour, Bono would repeatedly state, don’t become the monster to defeat the monster. I look at the world and myself continually daily and look at times where I feel that anger and have to keep myself in check so I don’t become the monster to defeat the monster that has become the machine.
I think to keep this blog short and simple this week, there are a few highlights of the lyrics that really stick out to me.
‘’Lay down your treasure. Lay it down now, brother You don't have time. For a jealous lover.” This particular lyric reminds me of when Jesus asks the rich man to sell his possessions and follow him, yet, he is so attached to them that he is sad and unable to do so. I look at these lyrics and I think at today’s society. What are we attached to that we are unable to lay down our treasures to follow Jesus in order to follow him and to have closer, more intimate relationships with others? Are they destructive habits? Excuses? Lack of accountability? Being stuck in victim mode? Blaming others? Not taking small steps? Being addicted to old patterns or not addressing issues with others and setting boundaries? Not looking at our own pride and see how we are causing destruction in our relationships by the lack of accountability and the fear that we are not good enough, which only degrades and eats away at our connection with others. The list can go on and on. Are we willing to lay down our treasures and get that course correction from the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to look at how man, in any way, has deceived us into what we have put into our bodies, minds, and ask for the course correction in order to come into alignment with God’s perfect will for our lives and to have holy fellowship with those we love?
“As you enter this life. I pray you depart. With a wrinkled face. And a brand new heart. I don't know if I can take it. I’m not easy on my knees
Here's my heart, can't you break it? I need some release, release, release. We need love and peace. Love and peace.” I am reminded of the Bible verse Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. I think that one of the things that I have struggled with going through after coming out of the new age and occult and being close to death was the fact that its been hard with people in the church and people close to me age and honestly older, to completely understand and grasp some of the things I have been through and have seen. I think when you go through things at this of an extreme level, it shifts your perspective on what matters and does not not matter to such a point, that everything else that is going on in the world is just a distraction, and you truly see what Jesus is talking about in terms of selling all your possessions and following him.
I am not saying material goods are bad or that we don’t need things. Not true. I am saying that when you live close to the edge and have seen the end like I did a few times, you truly get close to that repentant edge, where you do have God come in, to search your heart and knock out any wicked way within you. It humbles you on a daily basis. I take the attitude that I can learn from anyone and it does humble me. I think sometimes there is a feeling of not being easy on my knees, because you do feel alone on your spiritual journey because it’s hard, at times, to relate to others or to find your tribe of people, yet, it causes you to lean further and further into Jesus. It causes you to tame your tongue when you are feeling hurt, rejected, abandoned, or misunderstood, and it gets you to the point of wanting to submit to God and go to your knees, vs. lashing out, even though you are hurting. To me, this is the deep longing in this song. It is a call to unity for all of us in a very fallen and broken world that has been going on since the dawn of time.
I hope you can enjoy the song and to all of my Ohio readers, I hope you all are enjoying Ryan Day’s redemption tour in the playoff run. He’s kept the receipts.
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