Wednesday, September 19, 2007

In memory

From all us ragamuffins. It's hard to believe that today is ten years.

Everybody each and all
We're gonna die eventually
It's no more or less our faults
Than it is our destiny
So now Lord I come to you
Asking only for Your grace
You know what I've put myself through
All those empty dreams I chased

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly ruined me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You start this world over
Again from scratch
Will You make me anew
Out of the stuff that lasts?
Stuff that's purer than gold is
And clearer than glass could ever be
Can I be with You?
Can I be with You?

And everybody all and each
From the day that we are born
We have to learn to walk beneath
Those mercies by which we're drawn
And now we wrestle in the dark
With these angels that we can't see
We will move on although with scars
Oh Lord, move inside of me

And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly runied me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?

And when You blast this cosmos
To kingdom come
When those jagged-edged mountains
I love are gone
When the sky is crossed with the tears
Of a thousand falling suns
As they crash into the sea
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?

"Be With You" - Rich Mullins

2 comments:

Steve Redford said...

MAN! Do I miss him, bro.

I still remember that time, a few
years back, (at Jim & Susan's) when I thought the 'Let Mercy Lead' intro (regarding Aidan) was referring to his own son...and then you set me straight on that.

I have friends who say things like, "God! What a tragic waste of life!"...or "Damn! A life snuffed out so soon! What a deep stab! (in the belly of 'Christian Music'), etc.

I merely point them back to his lyrics.

Like you, Joe, I ponder those lyrics often.

And like you, bro, (and like Rich?) I find myself falling sadly short of my own calling.

That's why we'll always listen...'cuz he didn't just write 'good lyrics', or 'beautiful orthodoxy'...Rich wrote about our own...(fallen) nature. He put our absolute thirst for the Father into daily, human words.

MAN! It hurts to write about him with such a 'past-tense' tone.

I sure look forward to the other side of 'Jordan'....

Love you, Joe. (and, like you, I sincerely miss him).

Unknown said...

Hi Joe,
I must say, we lost a valuable servant of Gods' when Rich died; BUT...
What was our loss, is Heaven's gain...
I also feel another loss.
I just watched your teaching at Vineyard.
I am so sad you arent here teaching us anymore! But what was California's loss, is Ohio's gain.
I am proud of you!!!! I am proud of your family, for listening when God spoke...And Ohio? He only gets better!!!!
Love you! Deb I love you!!!!!!!!!