Wounds of Love

Wounds of love as described by St John of the Cross are the feelings of longing for absolute union with the fulness of God, contrasted by the grief and frustration that we feel at the things that hold us back from it, such as temptation, greed, lack of discipline, basically laziness and sin.

The grief is caused by our discovery of new revelations of Gods fulness and having our safe little perspective suddenly blown up to show what little we know of Him and His immense love and character.

I see the wonders and riches possible with a devoted relationship of love with God and I long for more of Him.  I try to encourage, portray and model this to others through my worship leading, my prayers and by passionatley talking about it with them.

Latley I find myself wounded and feeling grieved (as I believe God is) when people display no effort, no desire to worship or seek the Lord through even the simple things that thousands, millions and even billions of followers of the LORD Jesus Christ have gladly embraced through the ages.

Lord I feel a longing , its a longing that has always been there, yet I have only come to realise the character of this feeling since I dedicated my life to you.  Lately, especially since I've begun to read and reflect on the writings of Christians through the ages, I've come to realise that my feelings are not unique to my life only.  They are feelings of longing for You in Your reality and fulness that hundreds of thousands of believers have had before me.  If I can attempt to articulate and define these feelings, this desire then I feel that upon reflection I may see some way to satisfy this longing in a constant and real way.

In the ancient writers I find a desire and a journey after what I can only describe as the fulness and reality of God.  That is to say, living in the fulness and reality of all that Jesus won for us on the cross.  All of it, not bits, but the full benefit, all that a believer in Christ is entitled to.

Looking around there seems to be hardly anyone seeking the same direction or path (at least in my circles) so i am forced to look back to move forward.  I am even looking at other Christian traditions that  I have never considered before to 'pan for gold' amongst other doctrines and practices that  I dont wholly agree with.  For example; I dont subscribe to the Catholic worship of Mary and prayer to the saints, or belief in purgatory , but the whole monastic medative contemplative tradition thrills my heart and gives insight into an intimacy with God that is rarely explored in my own 'charismatic' tradition.

Meatloaf & Dad Rock

Blogging,... well lets give this a go then!

So lately my ever evolving and random music tastes have taken me back once again to the genre of Rock.  This time its to someone who I've heard loads in the past, but having listened to 'Bat Out of Hell' on Zoe Ball's Radio 2 show last weekend I decided to delve into Meatloaf's back catalogue via Spotify.





Now, I do realise that I'm well into the territory of 'Dad Rock', but heck I'm a father of two now and my childhood and early musical listening took me through the best of the 80's, deal with it!  Actually 'Bat Out of Hell' was released in 1977 but I vividly remember listening to 'Modern Girl' by Mr Loaf on 'The Hits Tape' in 1984 alongside 'Footloose', Gimmie All Your Loving', and 'Ghostbusters'.  Such great music!  Plus it was Band Aid year which preceded the legendary Live Aid in '85,... but forgive me, back to Meatloaf.

So, Rock has many types, sub-genres and off-shoots etc but for me the draw of Meatloaf is that powerful soaring raucous voice above the most over the top juggernaut of a classical rock orchestra ever assembled.  Check out the chorus of 'Bat Out of Hell' or that bit at 09:10 to 09:18 right at the end where he screams his guts out, marvellous! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9WeTf67YLY



 There is something extremely spine tingling about singers hitting that moment, that high point of passion, the pinnacle, the zenith of a song, especially live!  Live that moment is collectively shared by hundreds sometimes thousands of people.  Again, check out Freddie Mercury at Live Aid.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRavEPU_AJQ

Although Mr Loaf may falter vocally in the live arena, his best bits have been captured very well in the aforementioned songs.  Plus he's a fighter.  Read his Wikepedia bio and see how he went to and fro from everything to nothing and back again.  his autobiography may be worth a read too.

I must say I don't go for all of his music.  It tends to get a bit schmaltzy during the ballads, but the rockers do what they say on the tin,... plus there's that song in the Rocky Horror Picture show!

So, lets hear it for Meatloaf and unashamed Dad rock.  I willfully submit to loud bedroom stereos and air guitar in my boxers and socks while my children are still young enough to join the fun and not collapse in laughter and embarrassment!