Rock On, Larry

When I became a Christian in 1971, I ended up walking away from a lot of my closest friendships.  Members of my band.  People I grew up with.  They didn’t understand and didn’t want to.  There were a lot of new relationships that began to form, but there was a lot of grieving as well. 

I spent a great deal of time diving deep into the Word, and prayer, talking to Jesus constantly, and talking to others about Him.  One of the other things that kept me going was music.  I had always been one of those people who had music playing all the time, and lived with a soundtrack going in my head.  And that was one of my biggest struggles with my new faith.  The music was terrible!  I knew as well as anybody that the message of the stuff I’d been immersed in wasn’t pleasing to God, but it was honest and real and raw.  It came from the heart of people who needed Jesus.  People who wouldn’t listen to the hymns or choruses or bright sweet “Up With People” folk pop I was supposed to like now.  Then I discovered Larry Norman.  Here was a guy who touched my heart.  He was unafraid to speak the truth and do it rockin’.  I loved it.  And the love of God came through to me and sustained me through some very lonely times through his music.  I listened to it over and over. 

I’ve followed Larry’s music and career and life through the years, like keeping track of an old friend I never actually met.  And I’m saddened today to learn that he passed away last Sunday morning.   His heart just quit.  He had had his own struggles, but fought the good fight.  And he gave himself away, in a good way.  I guess there was just no more to give.  I can be happy for him that he’s with Jesus now.  But I feel like I’ve lost an old friend. 

Goodbye Larry.  And thank you.  You’ll be missed by many…more than you knew.  Be we knew.  You told us.  You were “Only Visiting This Planet”.

http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Larry_Norman__19472008/30703/p1/

Whirlwind

How do you speak in the midst of the whirlwind?
How can you see in the midst of the fire?
Feeling the tearings away still occuring and
Cherished distractions just turning to dust.
Your moorings are gone.
You’re adrift in His Presence.
A vision in ashes
And yet there is hope
As you’re caught up and held in the Spirit
And passion.
He comes as a Lover and pours Himself out.
It seizes you.
It captures your being.
You may have been called here before and withdrawn.
Afraid of being loved so completely
So fiercely
So intently.
Afraid when faced with the reality of being lost in Him.
Consumed in His love and loving.
But now, again, He says “Come to Me”.
And draws you.
And you press in.
Into the reality.
Into the embrace of Holy Fire.
This time you will not run away.
You will not push away.
You will not turn away.
You cannot leave.
There is nowhere else left.
You stay…
Consumed …
And alive…
In Him.