Greetings everyone,

I thought I'd open up a different kind of thread. Amy Grant's song is a touching one. Growing up in a Pentacostal environment, I was always drawn to question the incessant need for enthusiastic, upbeat worship. This environment certainly has its charm, but I never thought it touched upon true joy that's not always serendipidous and sappy.

God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves a drunkards cry,
The soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

The Bible says to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. When it's always rejoicing, who comforts the sorrowful?

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Did Jesus smile alot? We never read that he smiled but we certainly read that he wept. Jesus lived in a time of much suffering. Do you think he was always trying to cheer people up? I think he enjoined himself to our miseries and in doing so showed us true joy that wasn't falsely chipper.

The woman holding on for life,
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done,
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

Genuine joy is a painful smile when our afflictions remind us that this is not our home. We are strangers and sojourners, but Jesus said, "I go to make a place for you" and the hope this brings to us anchors our soul and brings us through the most painful trials.


We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody

Praise God who never asks me to put on appearances! I can tell Him that I'm not ok. I can tell him that it hurts sometimes. When God says, "How are you?" I can answer honestly.


Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

"You say 'I am rich, I have become wealth, and have need of nothing'...and don't know you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." (Rev 1:17) God sees of me what others don't...and loves me.


Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

The best praise is the sacrifice of praise. As Job said, "He giveth, and he taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."


We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Know the difference between genuine joy and contrived joy. The latter can, on a whim, be donned like a mask. The former comes from brokenness, grief, and ultimately sweet trust in Jesus through the worst that life can bring.

In the Sacred Heart of Christ.

Liberalism -- Ideas so good, they have to be mandated.