Haggard's Lament
I'm not much of a songwriter, though I certainly wish I was. My friend Mike is really good at it and it makes me jealous. But he thinks I'm a better writer than him, so I guess that makes us even.
Anyway, the recent public failure of Ted Haggard, a well known Christian pastor in Colorado, left me feeling morose and sad. Ted apparently harbored a secret life, and it finally caught up with him. He resigned his local and national leadership positions in public disgrace.
I know it's easy to be critical of fallen Christian leaders. To a degree, it is warranted. They do, after all, wield a great deal of influence; it is appropriate for them to be held to a higher standard.
But it's still a tragedy, and it got me thinking: assuming as I do that Ted was a good man trapped in behavior he detested (I can identify with that; can you?), did he have a safe place to talk about it? Probably not.
Why is it that the church, which ought to be the safest place for sinners to come clean is usually the last place we tell the truth about our personal problems? Could it be that we don't understand grace as well as we like to imagine? Seems so to me.
While I stewed over Ted, I wrote a song.I think it's the saddest song I've ever written. It's still a work in progress. I wish I could play it for you, but this will have to do.
I Don't Think So (Haggard's Lament)
Two sides, one face
Try as he might he just can't keep them both
on the same page
What would they say if they knew?
Hearts would be broken for sure
Is there a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Three days, one place,
Try as he might he just can't keep his feet
on the narrow way
What would they say if they knew?
Hearts would be broken for sure
Is there a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Four friends, one mask
Everyone's talkin' but no one is saying
a blessed thing
What would they say if they knew?
Healing would break in for sure
Is this a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Jesus is watching, a tear in his eye
When will the kid ever learn?
Grace gave him freedom but he lives a lie
Trapped by the truth that he spurns....
Secrets are strewn on the floor
Hearts have been broken for sure
Will there be healing when truth has been told?
God, I hope so....
Anyway, the recent public failure of Ted Haggard, a well known Christian pastor in Colorado, left me feeling morose and sad. Ted apparently harbored a secret life, and it finally caught up with him. He resigned his local and national leadership positions in public disgrace.
I know it's easy to be critical of fallen Christian leaders. To a degree, it is warranted. They do, after all, wield a great deal of influence; it is appropriate for them to be held to a higher standard.
But it's still a tragedy, and it got me thinking: assuming as I do that Ted was a good man trapped in behavior he detested (I can identify with that; can you?), did he have a safe place to talk about it? Probably not.
Why is it that the church, which ought to be the safest place for sinners to come clean is usually the last place we tell the truth about our personal problems? Could it be that we don't understand grace as well as we like to imagine? Seems so to me.
While I stewed over Ted, I wrote a song.I think it's the saddest song I've ever written. It's still a work in progress. I wish I could play it for you, but this will have to do.
I Don't Think So (Haggard's Lament)
Two sides, one face
Try as he might he just can't keep them both
on the same page
What would they say if they knew?
Hearts would be broken for sure
Is there a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Three days, one place,
Try as he might he just can't keep his feet
on the narrow way
What would they say if they knew?
Hearts would be broken for sure
Is there a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Four friends, one mask
Everyone's talkin' but no one is saying
a blessed thing
What would they say if they knew?
Healing would break in for sure
Is this a place where the truth can be told?
I don't think so....
Jesus is watching, a tear in his eye
When will the kid ever learn?
Grace gave him freedom but he lives a lie
Trapped by the truth that he spurns....
Secrets are strewn on the floor
Hearts have been broken for sure
Will there be healing when truth has been told?
God, I hope so....