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Linford Detweiler - A Statement Of Faith
I picked this up at Over The Rhine's merch table at Ichthus last weekend. -
Jesse Eubanks
*****
Over The Rhine - A Statement Of Faith - Linford Detweiler
Now here is an intimidating thought. A statement of faith. I seldom think of
my
faith in terms of statements. I speak a faltering language that at best
consists primarily of
questions, asides and whispered midnight prayers. The two midnight prayers I
pray over
and over, and which summarize all my prayers are:
1) This gift of life is too big. I give my life back to you, the giver. Take
my life and
make of it something beautiful, and
2) Thank you.
But this is music. These records that you see here on this table do tell the
story of
much of my journey over the course of the last ten years, if not longer.
This music was my
way of asking what I would like to make of this gift of too-large life that
I was given. And
what this gift of too-large life would make of me. This music was my way of
trying to find
new ways of expressing gratitude for the sometimes frightening freedom to
discover what
I believed to be true. And when I lost my way at times, (to put it mildly),
this music was
instrumental in helping me find my way back home. These records, in little
ways and big
ways, saved my life.
I wrote down the following words once after reading them, but I’m not sure
anymore who said them: “Those who believe in God, but without passion in the
heart,
without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at
times without
despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself.”
I guess what I want to say is this: if you prefer your music to function
more or less
as a pep rally for Jesus, you’re definitely at the wrong table. There
probably is a place for
that kind of music, but I for one was never called to be a cheerleader.
If however, your spirit is hungry for something a little different, if you
have ever
had a heart broken, if you have passed through valleys of shadows in your
life where all
was mostly lost, if you have discovered that most of the good things in life
are given not
taken, if you have unexpectedly been swept upstream with joy beneath
Abraham’s stars, if
you have come to grips with the fact that it will take at least a lifetime
to learn to forgive
those who have wronged you and to forgive yourself for wronging others, if
you puzzle
from time to time at the cruel radiant beauty that surrounds us pulsing
everywhere, beauty
that seems to want to tell us in a language beyond words, beauty that makes
no sense
when you consider how innocent children suffer everyday and how some people
have their
lives all but irreparably shattered right in front of their eyes - loved
ones snatched
prematurely and painfully away, dreams stillborn, relationships uprooted
from the soil of
hopeful hearts - then you may well recognize your own self in this music.
You may find
some fresh language for the soul, music for embracing the sweet sadness of
life, music
born of welcome tears and deep rejoicing. And music that speaks of a desire
to know the
Man of Sorrows, the Friend of Sinners, the Rose of Sharon.
You see, we just want it to be real. We want to risk being honest enough to
tell
our uncensored secrets. To say that as often as not a journey a faith is a
special state in
which we struggle to ask the right questions, and not just a question of
stating special
right answers.
So, I hope you ultimately don’t mind if I didn’t bother to bring the catchy
slogans
and the pom poms. I brought my life and a simple two-part midnight prayer:
1) This gift of life is too big. I give my life back to you, the giver. Take
my life and
make of it something beautiful, and
2) Thank you.
I hope Over The Rhine’s music reflects this prayer. Enjoy the festival.
Linford Detweiler for Over The Rhine.
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