Everyone Needs a Hero As We Play the Background

So I'm going to just jump into this post rather than blah for six paragraphs about how behind I am in my posting.

Okay, so as many of my family and peers know, I am adamantly against rap music. Why? Well, since I've been working the ghetto (give or take) I see how the hip hop culture has so many people caught in its grasp. Hollywood has glamorized it but when you are surrounded around the real thing on all sides, you begin to realize just exactly what it is. It's dirty, selfish, full of sexual perversion, hatred...basically self-gratification of every thing that God calls sinful. That's why I hate rap music; always droppin the sixth-letter bomb every other word and singing about all things that will just be burned in the refining fire of the Holy Spirit.

Even "Christian" rappers made me frown. I'm sorry but Jesus is NOT funky--he's holy and worthy of all glory, power, honor and praise. So many of those rappers in Christian contemporary music glorify themselves in their music and never really talk about the glory and beauty of God.

So when a friend of mine handed me a copy of Lecrae's Rehab I was thinking to myself, "Uh, no. I'm not listening to that. I've heard Christian rappers before. Thank you but no thank you." I ended up accepting the CD anyway out of kindness. I ripped it to my mp3 player and casually scrolled through it. The second song I heard was called, "Background." Not only did it have that soft R&B feel to it, but the lyrics instantly grasped me. I couldn't turn it off for 48 hours (give or take).

The lyrics speak about learning to step back and let God be in control of everything, even when we are in the spotlight. It's so hip-hop counter-cultural while being in the culture--it's awesome! It brings to light that scripture, "Be in the world, but not of it."

I know I'm safest when I'm in your will and trust your word.
And I know I'm dangerous when I trust myself; my vision blurred.
And I ain't got no time to play life's foolish games.
Got plenty aims but do they really glorify your name?
And its a shame the way I want to do these things for
you, yet

Don't even cling to you. Take time to sit and gaze on you.
And its seems that you are patient in my ignorance.
If ignorance is bliss, its
cuz she never heard of this.

Then the same friend of mine dropped me off home from dance practice yesterday. On the 25 minute drive, she had on this cd by a rapper called Trip Lee. The song was called, Hero. Instantly I was attentive from the beginning lyrics of, "Look, creation is groanin'..." all the way to the end of the song. It talks about a Hero. He's Jesus, the only one who is able to save us, not anything else. That's my kind of music.

We need a hero to go in,
'Cause our solutions don't win
Education can't fix it,
More dough just leads to more sin
Medicine is temporary,
Government seems so thin
With all these weighty problems, that ain't shrinking
They just growing;
Who's adequate to save us?
How about He who knew no sin?

But the lines that really got to me is where it talked about how we are longing for the return of Christ. And there's a sincerity in that part of the song. It's not a, "Hey, I grew up in church so this is what I'm used to everybody sayin' so I'm going to say it too." No, instead it's real. It actually stirred up within me the groaning of the Holy Spirit that says, "Come, Lord Jesus. We LLLOOONNNGGGG for you to come back because things will NEVER be right until you return home." I literally got teary-eyed (I miss Jesus so much).

Like a G5, yeah you rushed to rescue me
Took the cross in exchange for a crown to save me
You began the work and I know you'll finish
And make all things right when you come back
Cause you're my hero

You already saved the day
Cause you're my hero,

And I know you're coming back for me

For the past year or two God has been teaching me that He is SSOOO jealous for his people but not only that, he's jealous for their talents especially The Arts. From writing and media, drawing and painting to music including rap/hip-hop. God is reclaiming and redeeming all that Satin has used for wickedness. It is so awesome to watch!

In the words of John Piper, the goal of the ministry is to aggressively
saturate music with the “Supremacy of God, the truth of Scripture, the glory of
Christ, the joy of the gospel, the insanity of sin, and the radical nature of
Christian living.” This is done carefully, so that in the pursuit of being
culturally relevant, the Gospel and the exclusivity of Christ is not lost.

~C-Lite (rapper featured on Lecrae's Background)

I am indeed still very, very, very cautious about what I let in through the gates of my ears. These are odd times we live in and I believe using discretion is important. "Don't be so open-minded that your brain falls out," Mike Bickle says. My eyes, ears and mouth are highly precious to me; they are the gateway to my spirit that leads to the dwelling place of God. Forever wisdom shall be my sword--caution my shield. Even if a singer or rapper is singing about God and I feel that little, "Hmmm, no-no" feeling in my spirit I'll turn it off. But I'm no longer 100% against Christian rap music. With a teehee I admit these two particular songs rox my soxs. Here are the videos with the lyrics for those interested.





Be blessed.
All Sincerity of heart,
~Rose