Real Desperation

     I have been listening to a song quite a bit recently because it speaks to me about the heart of God. The singer is Ryan Kelly, who sings with Celtic Thunder, and I'm not sure if it's his expressive and impressive voice that caused me to hear it differently or if I was just in a pensive mood the first time I heard it. Most likely, it was a God thing.
     Imagine God being the songwriter here, and you and I being the desperadoes He is attempting to persuade.  We desperadoes all ride our fences sometimes in order to avoid involving ourselves in the action, the gritty dirty sweaty difficult action of ridding ourselves of the filth of the world.  The causes we throw ourselves into and the things that please us have a way of hurting us or, at the very least, not benefiting us.  Especially, the things we resort to when we are in need of comfort.  We know about folks who resort to drugs or alcohol to numb themselves to pain.  But what about numbing yourself to pain by working, shopping, talking to friends, reading books or whatever you do to avoid the pain that does not involve talking to God and really DEALING with the pain.  Pain is beneficial in leading you to the Healer.  The other things are bandages. They cover the wound, not heal it. We ride fences of self righteousness, denial, depression, selfishness, and pretense, rather than facing pain, humility, and the hard work of being whole and real.
    Materialism will keep us on the fences.  The queen of diamonds will "beat us" and "she is able." The queen of hearts is a good bet, love is wonderful, but even the love of a good man or woman has no ability to make us whole.
     Fine things have been laid on our table.  Remember the One who prepares us a table in the presence of our enemies?  Psalm 23!  Most of us have learned it.  What do we want that we can't get?  Happiness?  Satisfaction?  Wholeness?  Love? We try to get it.  We search for these things.  But without God, we get nowhere.  We marry, have sex, have children, pursue relationships, buy things, educate ourselves, but somehow what we want eludes us.  We're outlaws in a difficult world, because in order to satisfy ourselves, we steal.  We take and take from people,  we want more love, more fun, less difficulty, easy lives.  We steal from God because it takes too much work to get to know him.  And then we hurt.  We feel the pain and hunger.  Is this where we grab more placebos and swallow them?  Or is this where you can let the pain and hunger drive you home?  Freedom, my friends, is not just something to talk about.  Truly your prison is walking through this world all alone.  Without God, there is no freedom. The highs pacify but don't fulfill and they have a way of being dulled.  It takes more of our drug to keep us happy.  Placebos no longer fool us.  Work harder, play more, turn up the music, call a friend, read a book, drown the pain.  The lows are meaningless times of self pity and wasted distress.  No, it's not funny after awhile.
     My friends, get down from the fence!  Do the hard work it takes to pursue relationship with God!  It may be raining.  It may be difficult and dirty.  The pursuit of purposeful relationship with God, the work it takes to get to know Him and fight your battles with Him is worth it. You're better off letting Somebody love you before it's too late.

     "Desperado"

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late