run wild with the hope.

"From the place where morning gathers
You can look sometimes forever 'til you see
What time may never know
How the Lord takes by its corners this old world
And shakes us forward and shakes us free

To run wild with the hope

The hope that this thirst will not last long
That it will soon drown in the song
Not sung in vain
And I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name"

Mmm. it gives me chills every time I read/sing/hear it. This is part of a song by one of my favorite Christian artists. It is considered "old school" and not many from my generation know/appreciate/love him or even know who he is. He is the writer of very popular songs like, "Awesome God", "Step by Step" and "Creed." But many people miss some of his other songs. And they often hold some of the deepest nuggets of truth. Here is the link for the video.

As you will see, he is not a performer. He doesn't have a "happenin' stage presence." But he is so talented. and his heart is sincerely after God.

I would have loved to attend one of his concerts and worship with him. I think I admire him, his musical talent, his lyrics and his ministry more than almost any other Christian music artist to date.

He died. in 1997. It always makes my heart hurt when I think about it. I think, "My goodness, what a tragedy." or "Why him! he was such an amazing guy!" But then I remember that God is all about his glory. and this man glorified him in life and death. I have benefited so much from his songs.

Ugh. I'm Sorry. This post wasn't originally about Rich Mullins. It was about sunrises. and hope. and the glory of God. Will it annoy you too bad if I keep writing? Oh well. =)

So if you go back and read the lyrics I posted, I will tell you why this song and especially this excerpt are so important to my heart. Every time I have road tripped, especially through what seems like the middle of nowhere (Kansas, Dakota, Nebraska etc...), I have listened to this song. And one time a long time ago, me and my brother were the only ones awake driving through Utah at sunrise. we listened to this song together.

I listened to it on my road trip, driving at sunrise. And then the other morning I took my parents to the airport at 5 in the morning, and on the way back, the sun was breaking through and I was in awe.

I am NEVER up that early. People say it is worth it. I have always doubted that.

But they were right.

Coming from behind the San Gabriel Mountains was a glow that morphed the night sky into a slate gray. what few visible stars there were twinkled their last and slowly faded out. the wisps of clouds became a sharp white before glowing gold and becoming brilliantly shiny around the edges. the gray remained in the west while the eastern sky held a mixture of blue, gold and pink. Not as deep as a sunset, but just as fantastic. And the sun wasn't even showing yet. (I was back home and in bed by that time!)

(closest thing that depicts sort of what I saw)

My focus was on the sky. But as I came over the pass from the 105 to the 110 heading into Downtown LA, I was struck by the irony of this situation. Here was the glory of God, on display right in front of me. There was no denying how Big and Awesome my God is when I see this art show come alive before me against the mountains.

Forget Disney's world of color... this is where its at. AND its free (well...the low LOW cost of waking up ridiculously early).

The irony comes in when I looked at where the sky met the earth and there was nothing but city as far as the eye could see. and this isn't just any city. this is Los Angeles. More than lights and houses and money and fame and diversity and churches and schools and opportunities.

It is crime and gangs and corruption and prostitution and orphans and abuse and trafficking and drugs and... and brokenness.

How are these two phenomenon existing together. How is the glory of God hovering over a city like this one. Then I realize...it's not hovering...its seeping. spreading its tendrils through the city blocks. wrapping around the lonely and the brokenhearted. it is everywhere.

and the Lord took by the corner my whole world and shook it forward and shook it free. to run wild with the hope that this thirst will not last long, but it will soon drown in a song not sung in vain.

the glory of God is not only in the sunrise. Not only in the Billy Graham or Harvest crusades.
It is in the giving of food to a homeless man. offering your seat on the bus to an older woman. weeping with those who weep. rejoicing with those who rejoice.
it is the prayer warriors who gather together or meet God in the quietness of their own room. it is in the healing of a life-threatening disease that I foolishly attribute only to science. it is in the fingers of an artist creating something new, unique and original. it is in the notes of the symphony playing in perfect harmony.
it is in the lives of each and every believer who continually comes to God in repentance, with a heart that is pliable and ready for what is next. It is in the heart of a seeker who knows he wants more, and is longing for fulfillment and realizes it only comes through Jesus Christ.

but I almost miss it. because I cannot imagine how the glory of God could be in this place.

i don't want to forget that this IS the glory of God. and i can see it in my city, if only i have eyes to see and a heart to understand.

there is hope.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

(Romans 5:2-5)