The Page Has Turned

It is Monday.

I am in the front bedroom of my home in Northwest Atlanta, planning, strategizing, brainstorming, praying (blogging, too)…

All for the first time in a very long time as a non-employee of West Ridge Church, the church I’ve loved and served for almost half my life.

This day marks the end of an era, but the beginning of a new one – and my wife and I are overjoyed.  It is indeed bittersweet – a delicious little morsel of new promise, but one that bites back a bit.

We don’t mind.

We’ve been called to a nameless Ninevah, and we believe in following the call, we are avoiding the mouths and bellies of large fish.  The time has come, we both know it; we are completely uncertain as to our plot, but we are joining God in watching it unfold.  He has deep valleys to walk us through – one of which I’m calling “The Valley of The Shadow of Debt“, to the tune of a mortgage and a credit card.

But we, as Abraham, go without knowing.  Away from the beaten trails.  Into the forest.

Where Aslan lives.

To My Brothers and Sisters at West Ridge Church:

Grace and Peace be with you in Christ Jesus.  Your faithfulness and generosity have been told in lands both near and far.  It gives me great joy that we have acquainted for such a stretch, but it seems good to my wife and I and to the Spirit that our paths should at least for a little while veer from one another, till Christ brings them together again, or until He returns for His own.  Your image and essence is tattooed onto my heart, and it’s a mark I’ll never be able to forget.  I thank God for it, and thank God for you.  I will tell of the stories I experienced in your midst, and I promise to bring God as much worship as I can muster.  As Hezekiah said in Isaiah 38 verse 20:

“The LORD will surely save me; So we will play my songs on stringed instruments All the days of our life at the house of the LORD.”

May you find God in every sunrise and marvel of nature, may your words be seasoned and slow, tempered with God’s perfect love, and may His movement of grace and peace fall freshly on your congregation, so that observers near, far, and to the ends of the earth will see your faith and good works, and bring glory to God the Father.  Amen.

-jc

It’s Not Time

Upon devoting some thought to the sins that beset us, I’ve reached an epiphany.  Often times, it isn’t utter “sinfulness” or “depravity” that causes man to become tangled in the same snares time and time again.  Yes, we have a flesh nature that we war against every single day.  Yes, it plays a part in our vices.  I guess what I’m really saying is our besetting sins aren’t usually just “sin for sin’s sake”.

No.  The reasoning we use is much more subtle than that.  Something much more forgiving in a moment of passion.  We want good things.  We want a healthy sex life.  We want healthy bodies.  We want to enjoy life.

We.  Can.  Not.  Wait.

We want to have healthy bodies (not to mention the aesthetic benefits thereof), but working out and eating right takes a lot of time and dedication.  So we get surgeries and supplements, and focus on the immediate goal of looking healthy; reaping all the benefits without plowing, sowing, watering, fertilizing, and waiting for the time of harvest.

Or perhaps we react the opposite way – we get tired of the toil of eating healthy.  We enjoy the bounty of God’s earth in our foods, but we want too much of it, and we want it too quickly.

We want healthy sex lives, but waiting for marriage is so hard.  Or even in a marriage, we want a good sex life with our spouse, but it hasn’t developed into the frequency that we’d prefer.  So we settle for pornography, or for an affair outside our marriage.

I think these items illustrate the point pretty clearly.  I am reminded of Acts 1, after Jesus has risen from the grave.  The disciples are asking Him, “Is now the time that you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”

And Jesus says something very important:

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” [italics mine]

The Father has fixed times and seasons by his own authority.  Think about that for just a second.

What’s funny here is the disciples were already guilty of the same impatience we experience today.  We all want heaven – perfection – right now. And we’ve seen people in the early church use violence, of all things, to try to advance the kingdom.  It is an act of impatience.  We are so focused on the problems we experience (like an oppressive Roman regime), and on just eradicating those problems altogether, that we lose our awareness of the Holy Spirit’s present power to guide, convict, save, and fulfill.

There’s something to say for being fully present. Living in the Spirit right now.

Don’t lust after what God hasn’t given you.  Wait.  I heard one person put it this way: “Trade in your lightning bolt for a carrot.”  The kingdom, after all, is like a man who planted a seed in the ground.  It’s not like a plastic surgery or a microwave.

It’s not time.

Grace and Peace.    -jc

Loss

It is everywhere right now.

And yet, really, it always has been.

I must say, however, it feels a little more personal to me now, as it has hit close to home with my friends getting divorces, losing their loved ones, their jobs, their health.  One has to wonder, “Why now?  Why all this at once?”

I don’t know.  All I know is God’s people need to be honest.  Now is not the time to throw a bible verse at a problem, and let its effects glance off our lives as if they are not real and devastating.  We must be honest with God – look into Psalms or Lamentations for examples – and honest with each other…

Which brings me to an interesting point.  No one can know you are hurting if you don’t let them know.  There is something to be said for confessing your sins to one another, and for sharing in fellowship and community.  Do not let your relationships be shallow and vain.  The welfare of your life may hang in the balance (as I have seen recently).

Just a quick word.  Grace and Peace.    -jc

Modern Worship Guitar Lessons?

I want to take a poll:

If you wanted to play guitar in a church worship band, but were constantly frustrated by “not getting it quite right” – you know, not quite nailing the tone, or the delay, or whatever…

Would you be interested in subscribing to an online video archive, with in-depth, song specific tutorial videos on how to get it “right”?  Do you think it would help your playing?

Please comment below. I’d be interested to see the results.

-jc

Swamp

Friends, I’ve been up to my knees in a recording.  My spare time has been very, very limited.  Therefore, I feel I really need to apologize for the lack of posts lately.  It’s been tough, because I really enjoy “keeping in touch” with you guys this way.

The Christmas album will be released at West Ridge soon.  The end is in sight.  I promise to post something of substance soon enough.

Grace and Peace.  jc

The Stars Over Tybee Island

Sabbath.

Ah.

That’s what I did for a whole freaking week.  Incredible.  I just lived and breathed…  no working, worrying, toiling, or stressing.  Just laying around on couches, beaches, booths, and beds.

Me and my family enjoyed about 4 days of our week-long Sabbath in Tybee Island, Georgia.  For any of you who are wondering, Tybee is just East of Savannah (maybe a 20 minute drive from there).  It’s a completely different culture than any you see throughout the rest of Georgia.  The clocks slow down.  Everyone’s on bikes.  They’re all tan.  The old folks are in good shape (for the most part).  Everyone’s late for everything, and nobody really cares.  There’s a local saying:  ”you’re on Tybee time now.”

The beach is a little more wild and untouched.  The buildings along the shore aren’t towering condominiums or resorts…  they’re houses and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and almost all of them look like they were built at least 20 years ago.  You feel more like nature is at home here, instead of feeling like we’re taking her land – as I tend to feel in larger coastal cities where the beach sun is being blocked by huge beach-front hotels, with a soundtrack of humming tires and abrasive car-horns.

I’m telling you, if you haven’t been there you need to go sometime.  Stay somewhere cheap.  Don’t visit Tybee wanting a typical, pampered, expensive escape.  You’ll miss out on it’s charm.  Instead, walk around with wet shorts and sand on your feet.  Rent bikes.  Sweat a little.  Walk to your restaurants, or to “The Pier” (the whole island is only a little over 2 miles long!).  Eat at AJ’s.  It’s some of the best food you’ll ever eat.  Be human in a less burdensome way.  That’s what we did, and it was enlightening.

Oh, and lastly…  walk on the beach at night.  The breeze cools you down.  The waves are small, calm, constant.  These are the sounds and sensations of God at work, who took six days to set it all in motion.  The seventh is set apart to enjoy it all.  Hallelujah.

And don’t forget to look up.  You’re miles from a city.  There’s no light pollution.  The Milky Way is remarkably beautiful when you can actually look up and see its stars, some shooting across the sky.

Can you tell I loved it?

You’re Beyond

http://www.myspace.com/jakecolliermusic

 

I wrote another new tune called “You’re Beyond”.  I don’t know how congregational it is, but it’s definitely got a strong hook, and the melody is easy to sing…  aside from the somewhat contemplative lyrics.

I wrote it from the standpoint of realizing Jesus as the firstborn of all creation, as Paul calls Him in Colossians.  This song could easily be seen as positing God as distant, or untouchable.  There’s a goal here; it’s to not overdo theology in one little 3 minute song.  It’s to speak to how we see God’s majesty all around us as we search here on the earth, whether we know it’s Him or not.  And we’re trying to respond in worship to a being who is far superior to us in intellect and essence.  It’s hard to do, but at least we’re trying.  

I see Jesus everywhere, in every new discovery and every unveiled truth – “holding all things together”, so to speak.  Take this song in the context of every other worship song ever written, and I think it’s a good thought to add to the conversation that’s been going on from saints of old to the present day.  So, here are the lyrics:

 

What awesome fresh discoveries,

Have you not known for ages?

Our eyes, they marvel at these,

The first of countless pages.

 

Your glories shine just like the sun.

Our world is thine, Oh Holy One!

Oh, how we’re trying to respond,

But you’re beyond; Yes, you’re beyond!

 

What creatures dwell in forests,

Or dive to depths uncharted?

New life that sparks our interests,

Your miracle imparted!

 

How can we miss your holiness?

How can we not be filled with awe?

Our telescopes and microscopes

Are glass lit dimly, but…

 

You shine just like the sun.

Our world is thine, Oh Holy One!

Oh, how we’re trying to respond,

But you’re beyond; Yes, you’re beyond!

That Helpless “Thank You” Feeling

So I’ve really been feeling like it would be great to have a little bit of extra guitar gear…  you know, being a guitarist with one acoustic and one amp.  These are things that can fail on you at a moment’s notice.  Not real smart to play music professionally and only have one guitar.  Or one amp.

However, because I’m so countercultural (tongue firmly planted in cheek), I decided, “Jake, you’re cooler than that.  Don’t hang onto those ‘wants’, man.  That’s consumerism, man.  Stick it to the man and drop those wants – after all, there are kids starving in Africa.  You’re chill, man.  And by the way, Jake, leave that rusty hood on your Honda Civic.  Fly the banner of anti-consumerism proudly, man!”

My conscience talks like a hippie, by the way.

So one day I get this note beside my pedal board after a morning of worship.  There’s a note card that says, “Jake – I’ve got a midi guitar setup that I want someone to use for the Lord.  Do you think you could use it?  Call me.”  And he left his number.

So I call him.  Of course I could use it, I tell him.  I’d be glad to come see it.  So he invites me out, and I come to his house.

He shows me the guitar – a nylon string electric Godin – and says, “It’s yours.”  Wow.  He even included a MIDI pickup with effects processor.  Unbelievable.

Then he says, “Come have a look around.”  So I follow him to a back room of a house that is almost full of acoustic guitars in their cases.  I found out we’ve got a mutual acquaintance who builds guitars.  In fact, he owned many of this man’s guitars and was letting me play them left and right.  So he pulls out an Avalon acoustic.  It sounds beautiful.

And he tells me to take it.

I’m speechless.  I explain that there’s no way I can take this gift from him.  ”Sir, you are too generous.  I couldn’t possibly.”  But he insists.  And then he rocks my world.

“I just came down with cancer.  None of this stuff is mine, Jake.  It all belongs to the Lord.  I’m not sure how I’ll come out of this thing, but I do know these guitars need to be ministering to God’s people in someone’s hands.  Just promise me when the time comes that you’re ready to get rid of these guitars, you’ll give them to someone else in the ministry.  Don’t sell them.”

His wife sits sobbing in a chair.

—

This man completely embodied the spirit of Christ right there in that room.  I’m telling you, I’ve never felt God so thick around me as I did right there.  Not only did this man appeal to my hippie conscience by making sure American currency is never exchanged for the guitars, but he selflessly gave his things away because he knows his life could end.  Any minute.  Why am I so unaware?…  so selfish?  He also let me into his life right there in his home…  community.  He and his wife are optimistic about the outcome of this upsetting news.  I have new friends.

To top it off, this saint of a human being gave me a Fender amplifier.  I chuckled in amazement.  We prayed together, he and I and his wife.  I left.

I am a better man.  May we all continue in the heritage of life lived selflessly.  This man has set a pace for me.  I will struggle to keep up, but I will commit to succeed.

Thank you God.  -jc