Lions, and Tigers, and Monsters?

Today I wanted to talk about something that I really enjoy, christian rock music. Specifically I want to discuss the latest offering from the band Skillet which you can see beside here is called Awake. The reason I mention it today is the fact that it was released to the general public today.

I purchased this CD presale and have only had it for a few days, however I've been listening to the first two songs that were released for weeks now. those are Hero and Monster, which just happen to be the first two songs on this CD.

Now, I realize that many of you reading this won't listen to Skillet or their music, and I respect that as we have different tastes. That is why I'm going to post some lyrics here for you to read and have you think about for a minute:

The secret side of me

I never let you see

I keep it caged

But I can't control it

So stay away from me

The beast is ugly

I feel the rage

And I just can't hold it

It's scratching on the walls

In the closet, in the halls

It comes awake

And I can't control it

Hiding under the bed

In my body, in my head

Why won't somebody come and save me from this?

Make it end!

The above lyrics are from the song Monster. I think in this song they point out a great point: a lot of the reasons a person doesn't come to a relationship with Christ isn't because they don't want to have it, but instead the reason may be hidden deep inside them. It could very easily be something that you and I will never see on the outside looking in at their lives. Yet, that very reason can be very consuming for that person.

Do you see at the end of the lyrics how they are crying for help, yet throughout they haven't allowed anyone in due to it's all consuming nature? Do you now see why it's so important to get close to other people, especially those that need Him? They might not seem like they have problems, but WE ALL DO! We all have had reasons in our lives that have kept us from Him and many of those same reasons no one else around us would have ever known.

You have to get involved with other people. It's not enough to just know of someone, you have to KNOW someone. This is why we have to focus on things like mentoring and interpersonal relationships. We have to help people get past the monsters that are in the closet and under the bed, and know that the only way we can do that is by spending time with them. It's not enough to just do the work on the surface, instead you might have to get deeper. It's those deep relationships with others that will lead to them, as well as you, having a closer relationship with Jesus!