City lights

I have made many friends blogging by sharing stories, opinion, and insights with people from all around the world. Writing has taught me many things. The people I have met along the journey has been significantly healing. Their feedback, challenge, and friendship grounds the writing experience making it rich.

Along the journey, I met an author Ramisa Raya who has published four books. She has inspired a 7-day music interpretation challenge. This is rules of the 7-day challenge.

1. Your favorite song. Tell us the story behind it; where were you when you first heard it? Did you hate it at first? Are there any emotional connections between that song and your personal experience, feelings or thoughts?
2. A song which triggers a very strong emotion. Jealousy, anger, depression, happiness, optimism or anything. How strongly does it impact you? Does it have different effects at different times?
3. The song with the most beautiful lyrics. Do a lyric interpretation of them to show your understanding of the song.
4. Your opinion on what is the most depressing song. You are welcome to choose multiple songs and discuss a common theme (if any) among them.
5. Choose a song which never ceases to make you laugh. Perhaps it’s the lyrics? The melody? The tone spoken in the words? Tell us!
6. Blog about your favorite album and quote favorite lines from each of the songs included in there. Tell us why they are significant to you.
7. Your favorite instrumental music. Tell us a time-by-time analysis of what you hear/feel throughout the song, as we are unable to sense your feelings completely. Why is this song so important to you?

Today on the Temenos Circle, I will start sharing favorite music interpretations for the next 7 days.

Find the time, listen, read and reflect on their application to your heart.

 

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Fall Asleep by Jars of Clay

 

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Lyrics

We wandered off like children in the woods
And let the searchers come but never find us
Tried to make a life among the trees
While your dreams collected planes and cars and cities

You slipped away from me while I was sleeping
To climb the tallest oak and see the lights
Your dissatisfaction gave you questions
Do you remember what the city sounded like?
Do you remember what the city sounded like?

So stay up with me, don’t fall asleep
Because we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we’ll meet under city lights
But we’re here tonight, so let’s make it all it was meant to be

So I held you but the call was from inside
And I knew I couldn’t keep you if I tried
But I watched as the distance spread, as the shadows grew
And the longings came like wolves to devour you

So stay up with me, don’t fall asleep

Because we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we’ll meet under city lights
But we’re here tonight, so let’s make it all it was meant to be

So stay up with me, don’t fall asleep
Because we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we’ll meet under city lights
But we’re here tonight

So stay up with me, don’t fall asleep
Because we only have this moment once in our lives
The next time we’ll meet under city lights
But we’re here tonight, so let’s make it all it was meant to be
Let’s make it all it was meant to be
Let’s make it all it was meant to be

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Interpretation 

This song draws our attention to the life in the world. It is hard sometimes to be caught up in the world demands and forget those relationships that matter most. Like children, we can get lost in the woods searching for something that we never find. Trying to make life in the world collecting the things that have material value on leave us in the darkness. Almost a form of idolatry, the world can become an obsession that only proves to be unsatisfying making it difficult to remember the city.

Trying to make life in the world, collecting the things that have material value only leaves us in the darkness. Almost a form of idolatry, the world can become an obsession that only proves to be unsatisfying. This idolatry makes it impossible to see the city.  Our quest to be in the world erases our memories of what is really important. On our journey it is so easy to forget to find our Father in our life in all we do, leading to an emptiness which numbs our soul.

Our quest to be in the world erases our memories of what is really important. On our journey it is so easy to forget to find our Father in our life in all we do, leading to an emptiness which numbs our soul.

In the words, “Stay up with me don’t fall asleep, as we only have this moment,” we seek Father God in the moment, as the next time we will meet will be under city lights, symbolic of heaven.

In Ephesians 5:27:   the verse reads, “and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

Here and now, in the moment, don’t fall asleep because we only have this one moment in our lives before we meet under the city lights. Make our relationship with him all it was meant to be. Present to him your life, yielding to his plan.

7-Day Music Interpretation Challenge