Tired of Being Alone seems like a secular song, an ode to a woman that Al
longs for and wants us to long for, but is it really that? I propose that Christ was working in Al from
the start through his own lyrics that he may not have even written, or at least
not with “those” intentions. Listen carefully to the words:
"Sometimes I wonder, if you love me like you say you
do. I've been thinking about it yeah,
I've been wantin’ to get next to you baby!
Sometimes I hold my arms and I say, needing you has proven to me to be
my Greatest Dream.”
I propose to you that Christ worked in Al's heart to tell
him, "Al, I love your songs, all your songs, but can you write and sing
them for me as well, can you lament over me, my death, and my
resurrection? Can you come and sit at my
table so I can help you create another table (Concert tables) for others to
hear my message through you? Because
through you they will hear me in many ways, through, so called secular and
gospel because you’re a great instrument for The Kingdom? Can you do that? They’ve been listening to your amazing songs
their entire life. From age 56 down to
26, they all still love you. Tell them
about your old songs, but let them know you’re a pastor, an ambassador for
Christ, write a few for me, yes?"
And I believe that Al said, “Yes Lord” And that’s what he does
today. He sings the old songs with the
subliminal messages, but he also sings the gospel songs to the same
audience…and they love him. Or is Christ
smiling sitting on the right hand side of the Father going, “I told you Al
would work it out.”
I believe that Al Green, who within six months of signing
with Staxx Records, a famous Memphis, Tennessee record label, was a major
star. This also caused him to have a
meteoric rise to fame, women, money, success, and a hot batch of grits (girl in
a hotel) dumped on him. And I believe
that knowing that Christ let him survive that, Al Green eventually said, “Yes
Lord, I will follow you”. Let me tell you,
having not experienced a "come to Jesus moment" like that (but in
other ways) I will say that if a hot pot of grits is thrown on you by a fine
woman, like Nia Long, Eva Mendez, Lucy Liu, or Diane Lane, or even Halle Berry,
is not going get you to come to Christ, I don't know what will! I think Al ran to Christ and sang all songs
for all people. He had the audiences of
young and old, rich and middle class, black and white. Christ had him set the table, break the
bread, and celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ in a concert for
everyone every time he touches a microphone.
Personally, even though I attend a Presbyterian church
(which I love my church) I'm not a "religious" person. I am a fallen human full of sin in s many
areas of my life that I really do feel like Al Green. Having Christ use me for the benefit of all,
believers, for we are still sinners, and non-believers who Christ wants me to
meet and set a table for them as well.
My paraphrased version of Christ's Death goes like this:
I'm a follower of the man they took at roughly 35 years of
age and had so called, "religious
leaders" of the time asked Him, "who do you say you are?" He confessed to be who they thought He said
he was, (Christ the Messiah) the One sent by God as God in Christ. Then a church leader tore his clothes, mashed
his teeth, turned him over to the Romans who were just trying to kick it and
not have a billion Hebrews go crazy over their so called God! “But fine", said Pontius Pilate,
"you say he did something, fine.
But what has he done? Never mind, crucify him then”. Christ then carried his own cross to his own
death, all planned by His Father, God, by using Judas as one of the main people
at the table of the last supper (God uses who he needs to use for His purpose),
then Christ must have thought, “it's really happening, I will die for the
entire world. I pray they actually
believe me when they use B.C and A.D, will they at least see and honor that?”
And then it happened; He (Christ) was actually being nailed
to the Roman gibbet, by stretching his hands to the east and west of the cross,
pierced in the palm of his hands with nails.
His legs were broken so it quickens the death, His feet were then placed
together as one larger nail was placed through probably the middle toes of one
foot and penetrated the other, a stacked look if you will, as the pain of all
those nails would cause you to pass out, go numb, or just scream in
agony...maybe all three. And then He would
have to survive, for it still wasn't His time, being placed in a small dug out
ditch that when the cross was placed upright, it didn't' tip over. This is Rome; they were amazing at planning
all things. The cross then bounced in
and stood upright. And maybe for a
moment, He (God in Christ as human) got a little rest, at least nothing was
being pierced. Now the mocking came,
bullying in today's terms, as if He hadn't suffered enough. And God says, “No,
you haven't, for the entire world must look to this and come to me at the table
of broken bread, and spilled wine”.
So, more suffering, mocking and then eventually as the skies grew dark,
death--upon a cross--planned by His father--and executed by Him, with help of Rome,
but really, we’re all responsible for that death. His entourage begged for his body that had
been literally flogged and beaten to a pulp, then He was put in a tomb. The next day Mary came to see him. He was not in the tomb.
And I heard that Al Green song again, "Sometimes I
wonder, if you love me like you say you do.
I've been wanting to get next to you”.
I hear Christ asking me that in the midst of that song. So, I say to you, ask me again if I’m a
“religious person.” I say no, I'm a listener of a great Al Green
songs that I believe Christ, all powerful, can use even that as a way to reach
me(us). Tomorrow, please listen, and see
if you can set a table, break some bread, and pour some wine to celebrate The
Resurrection of Christ as the greatest love song ever written. Thanks Al Green for your ear for Christ. Christ does love you like he says he does;
Happy Resurrection Day Everyone.
#Doorstories15, #marvinstories15, #Resurrectionstories ,
#racematters
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