Aaron Williams was reading something in his bible that made him stop. “Abide” to Aaron was not really a stop and be silent moment, though that’s part of what he did when he read what the God-son said, prior to crafting the song by that name that was released in January 2021. If you want to bear fruit -- do something for God -- just make certain from where the root of that inspiration comes. The plants and trees that grow all kinds of fruits and nuts (see an example of Concord grapes here, a common fruit which would have been familiar to people of Jesus’ era and geographic location) don’t do so because the individual branches are so well kept, though that is part of what makes them productive. It’s the main root, the vine from which the smaller branches grow, which gives the essential vitality to this growing thing and yields such a bountiful harvest. Aaron Williams, along with his musical partners Aaron Keyes and Jake Fauber, read Jesus’ message to His closest followers in His last week before being crucified, and translated it for us who too often are in a hurry.
Aaron Williams points to John 15:1-10, in which Jesus used that word ‘Abide’ ten times to teach His disciples. It must have been a pretty important concept, huh? These three 21st Century musical collaborators must have decided that a large part of abiding in Jesus means depending on Him. They wrote that word into their collectively-generated lyrics 20 times. Or, how about teach? That one is in their poetry eight times. So, the Williams-Keyes-Fauber way of abiding in Him means that depending on Him and letting Him teach me are pretty important. Aaron Williams says the human mistake is to launch right out there into being busy without first taking note that the relationship with Him is the first priority. Consult Him first. Remaining in Him is often seen as backwards to what the culture tells us, a reality that Aaron reinforces by saying this Jesus way is an ‘anti-strategy’ or ‘the upside-down way’. It’s going to be the opposite of what the real hustlers and go-getters might tell you. He cites the fruits of the Spirit that one of His abiders – Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 -- used as a teaching guide for Christ-followers who want to know what fruit He's still looking for us to produce today. And, as for depending on Him – what did that mean musically for these three songwriters? My ‘waking breath’, ‘daily bread’, ‘the sunrise’, ‘sleep’, ‘the Spirit’s guiding’, my future ‘victories’; and most especially as I ‘pass through death’, find ‘eternal rest’, and finally expect ‘to be raised’ – all those things, many of which I might take for granted, exist because of Him. He can teach me nothing if I’m not willing to feel His close embrace and the strength He offers.
It seems that a by-product of abiding that the two Aarons and Jake found, as they read what Jesus said and then interpreted that musically, is that the hurly-burly and stress of my life should be overcome. The traps in daily living are all the little things that mount up and can so easily overshadow what I should feel with Him; and then they unfortunately mute my attempts at fruit-bearing. Was it any different for Him when He walked around here as flesh-and-blood? He once said He had no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20/Luke 9:58), so did Jesus struggle with some anxiety about that? On occasion He received strength from one or more attending angels (Matthew 4:11/Mark 1:13, and Luke 22:43), an indication that even He felt weak and need sustenance from above, particularly in spiritual warfare situations like these (following the temptation by the devil in the wilderness; and His profound anguish in a garden as He awaited arrest, persecution, and death). And, He often went off by Himself to pray. He abided. His moments of apparent distress were far more consequential than most of mine that I can recall…but does that matter to Him? Peter – another Jesus abider, who once felt anxious and overwhelmed because He had failed so miserably as an abider – once wrote Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) So take heart, and realize He is willing to help you find fruitfulness again, if only you and I will abide.
Read about the song’s story here: "Walk by Faith" Singer Aaron Williams on John 15:5-8 and here Faith Behind The Song: 'Abide' Aaron Williams feat. Mission House | Air1 Worship Music also see it here: Worship Collective Dwell Songs Releases New Single ‘Abide’ – CCM Magazine
See information on the image here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ConcordGrapes.jpg.... Concord grapes… This image is a work of a United States Department of Transportation employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.
No comments:
Post a Comment