A new favorite song of mine.

I’ve been a Jars of Clay fan
just about since they first started. Three friends of mine and I saw
them in concert back in 1994. It was such a small show that we actually
got a chance to talk to them afterwards when they came out to sign
autographs for people.

Slightly related rant: why do people ask for autographs? I’ve gotten
all of about three autographs from artists/famous people in my life and
just don’t get it. Wow, they can sign their name on stuff. So can I.
Anyway, back to regular programming.

I downloaded their most recent two albums from iTunes, which cost all
of $20 for both. Definitely better than paying for it at the store,
where it would have been $30-35. On one of the albums, Who We Are
Instead, there is a song on there that hits me so hard every time I
hear it. The lyrics are so beautifully written and describe me so well,
if not many other people. Here they are, in their entirety:

Built another temple to a stranger
Gave away my heart to the rushing wind.
Set my course to run right into danger.
Sought the company of fools instead of friends.

You know I’ve been unfaithful, with lovers in lines.
While you’re turning over tables with the rage of a jealous kind.
I chose the gallows to the aisle, thought that love would never find.
Hanging ropes will never keep you and your love of a jealous kind.

Try to jump away from rock that keeps on spreading.
Find solace in the shift of the sinking sand.
I’d rather feel the pain all to familiar.
Than be broken by a lover I don’t understand.

You know I’ve been unfaithful, with lovers in lines.

While you’re turning over tables with the rage of a jealous kind.

I chose the gallows to the aisle, thought that love would never find.

Hanging ropes will never keep you and your love of a jealous kind.

One hundred other lovers, or one hundred other altars.
If I should slow my pace, finally subject me to grace.
Love that shames the wise, betrays the heart’s deceit and lies.
Breaks the back of foolish pride.

The words are so perfect in describing how I feel most of the time. For
those who don’t get it, the song is talking about how we put so many
things on altars instead of God. However, all those things, all that
unfaithfulness, still doesn’t keep God from loving us so jealously. I
think that the words so accurately describe our betrayal of God’s love
by using the comparison to other lovers. It’s so descriptive, yet so
simple. Also, the line “I chose the gallows to the aisle” gets me. Even
though we choose the gallows of sin instead of the aisle of
forgiveness, His love still finds us. I just love it. I think it’s
things like this that makes Jars my favorite band. I won’t go into it
here because this is long enough as it is, but there are a quite a few
other songs that I connect to as well.

Maybe I’ll make a series about these. Sounds like a plan. But will I
neglect to follow through with this one just like I do with all the
others?