Friday, October 28, 2022

No Other Gods -- David Moffitt

 


He’s remained largely ‘behind the curtain’, at least in the internet world of the 21st Century. Was that David Moffitt’s choice, somewhat of an outgrowth of the “No Other Gods” theme contained in what he wrote in the early part of this century? Among his music friends in the Nashville area, one could guess that David is not a guy who’s in hiding, however. And, anonymity is a characteristic that David would certainly not want God to associate with him either, and so that helps explain why he’s been writing songs that tell of his allegiance to the God of whom he writes.  Meet David Moffitt, at least the little bit that we can discover of him here, and look forward to meeting him, if not here then in the time to come. He evidently thinks it’s more important today that we know the One who’ll take us all to that meeting place.

 

There are few spare details of David Moffitt that could help an investigator find and interview him, but one would have to know that there’s just one name associated with this songwriter, a characteristic that is contrasted with what Moffitt would write in ‘No Other Gods’ that was published in 2003. David went to Belmont University in Nashville, probably where he got to know Travis Cottrell, one of the university’s notable music-performing alumni and someone with whom David has collaborated on several worship songs. David was also a worship leader at a local church for 13 years, and has written at least one award-winning (a Dove Award, given by the Gospel Music Association) song. So, he has a well-earned reputation, but that obviously was not the focus of ‘No Other Gods’. David shares some 15 names for the God he knows, so if He’s unknown to you, David wants you to meet Him, this multi-faceted Holy One. He’s the God that David must have read about on various pages of a bible – eight names in all in just his song’s first verse. ‘Ancient of Days’, and ‘Alpha and Omega’ (v.1) are just a few that tell us this is a God who’s existed forever. ‘Maker’, Creator’ (v.2)…those two evidently struck David the way they do most of us, for who else can we call on, even yell at, when our human failings and even mortality dog us? ‘God, you made me this way for what reason’? Perhaps David had heard that anguish in someone’s voice, someone who had a health crisis. The ‘I Am’ (refrain) is not someone whom I can treat like a wish-granting vending machine; He's ‘sovereign’, David recognized, a characteristic we all have to admit is a difficult one to understand and accept when circumstances seem so unfair. But, He’s also the ‘Messiah’, the One that the Father has designated to also be ‘Savior, Redeemer, and Friend’ (v.2). What could be better when the inevitability of life’s conclusion is known? The ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords’ (refrain) who also created, and therefore knows intimately the makeup of all things; the God who wants to draw me close, shield me with His love, and then save me ultimately; and this Lord who wants to make me feel secure in his identity as the ‘Rock of Salvation’ (v.2) is the only one I need. That’s just a few of the names for Him that David Moffitt recognized. Is that enough?

 

Not much else can be said of David Moffitt, but so much more could be said of God. We can look at David’s face (see the one site link below showing his likeness), but even Abraham and Moses, the great friends of God (Exodus 33:11, James 2:23), were not permitted to see His face. There’s so much more of God we’ll see someday, so that has to be one reason why David did not try to exhaust his description of Him in his song. No one can completely portray Him, so some mystery actually helps coax my drawing closer to Him. I’m just curious to see Him close up, though there are times when I should be awestruck and even petrified to observe Him. David Moffitt wants me to know He’s the only one I should consider in that way. That other god you and I might have or had in the past…is he really scary and yet loving in the way Jesus was? Don’t wait to meet the real God before you answer.   

 

See about the author here, and a picture of him also: http://www.rethink.com/content/david-moffitt

 

The author’s frequent collaborator’s biography is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Cottrell

 

This site indicates the year (2003) in which the song was published: https://www.higherpraise.com/lyrics/cool/n/7_572.htm

 

Website of the school where author attended: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_University

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