I saw God at a rock concert

You know, if this were a Relevant magazine article, I'd say that God is at work through all things. If this were Christianity Today, I'd say grace perfects nature.

Alas.

I enjoy listening to rock. Though, enjoy is not a word strong enough to convey the dedication I have for the genre. If one were to look for my Spotify, one would notice a large number of music that requires a guitar. There is something (something) in me that smiles when I hear Bill Joel "It's all rock n' roll to me" or Dire Straits' soft guitar leads on "Sultan of Swing".

How happy I was when I heard one of my favorite bands was coming to town.

Mogwai is one of my favorite instrumental bands. Their songs names are rather silly (I'm Jim Morrison and I'm Dead, Autorock, Glasgow Mega-Snake) but they have a way of making the heavy sound beautiful.

Therefore.

My wife and I went to see them live in concert. I saved money and we went into the middle of Downtown Miami. They had just released their latest album at the time and I was a big fan of it.

I walked in and felt self conscious, as always. People were smoking cigarettes and the guys had pants on that would leave me with no oxygen. Still, I didn't come to make friends. I came to say a rock band that I liked.

Then they got on the stage.

I was so happy. It was probably one of the happiest times in my life that didn't require alcohol. They had a smoke machine and lasers, it was was all rather cheesy. Yet they played songs that I knew. They played the riffs that I had memorized long ago. When they went into the first drop of Fear Satan I screamed my lungs into oblivion.

And I saw God.

At least that's what my body told me.

Fast forward a few years later and I'm married. I am looking for a new church and I encounter Christians of different stripes. They are not different because there are all sorts of Christians in Kansas City, they are different because they disagree with me. More than that, they're different because they're not from Miami. At least in Miami, I had the pretense of a common cultural experience. I don't have that luxury in the Midwest.

Now.

Something I've noticed is that Christians seek God. A no brainer, one would say. But track with me. Christians seek God the same way a wine taster seeks new wine, a coffee drinker seeks a better ground, a man seeks a prettier woman to validate his existence.

I suppose what I am trying to say, is, that, Christians, do not like mediocrity. If I had to compare it to something else, Christians are trying to have better sex with God.

Yes yes, I know, #NotAllChristians, but it's about me right now.

But yes I suppose it's not Christians, it's humans. They're always trying to find something new to keep them going. Something new to spark the mind. Something new to say that "they were there". Boredom is verboten. 

Why talk about sex? Well, why not? The Bible uses the marriage analogy to describe how God relates to His people. I might as well talk about sex. Specifically, orgasms. People seek better orgasms. They get close to the edge, back off, and arrive at destination.

Christians want better orgasms. They do this by committing themselves to a pastor's vision, to proclaiming that they are bringing God's kingdom, by praying for revival, by wanting to love on more and more people, by praying harder, by reading their Bible more, by getting involved in politics, by attaching themselves to the latest trend (we are not long purpose driven, but missional), I mean, I can go on.

But the problem is, I experienced this better orgasm at a rock concert.

Most humans experience better orgasms at a rock concert.

And really when a Christian tries to experience a better orgasm within a "spiritual" sphere, they fail. They fail because gravity will always win. Those Christians that don't fail, succeed, but they become insufferable to be around. They hate being around me because I am such a downer, and I hate them because I wish they'd see my humanity and tell me my pain is real.

It doesn't stop Christians, of course.

I don't know how many Christians I've met trying to get closer to God when they don't realize that God has communed with us in His Son. They find bread, wine, water, and sound boring though they are what give life. What feeds us, feeds us. But I suppose a revival is more exciting than an old man wearing a suit.

But as for me and my house? I see God every Sunday when His words are spoken by broken men. I see God when I commune with Him through the bread and the wine. I see God when I am reminded of the water that washes my dirt away as the blood washes my sin away.

My body might not feel like it's taken to the third heaven every Sunday, but at least I know my God is with me.

Marantha,

-SJG