The Greatest Story Ever Sung: Part One - All At War

Music is one of my favorite things in all of creation. I am also a big word nerd. Each of those things are powerful in and of themselves, but I think that when the two are paired, the result is one of the greatest things in the world.

Therefore, song lyrics obviously mean a lot to me. And so I want to share some of my more favored ones on my blog. And maybe a little bit about what I think about them. I'm hoping to do this on a regular basis. Because there are a lot. And I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy it.

I have chosen to call this "The Greatest Story Ever Sung." Because everything, no matter what it is, goes back to God. God is, and everything else is because of him. So whatever story a song may tell, it's always just a part of the story of the creator of everything. Even Old MacDonald. Where do you think all those animals came from? And who determined what sounds they were going to make? It was God.

When I started thinking about doing this, I thought to myself, "I can't start with a downhere song." Why? Because I guess it feels like it's too easy, and too obvious. Too predictable. "Of course Emily would start with a downhere song, because she's nuts." I won't say that I'm not nuts, but I will say that I do listen to so much more music. And many a song lyric not written by Jason Germain and/or Marc Martel has impacted me someway.

But with that being said, I'm starting with a downhere song. I can't help myself. This song is called "All At War."

"I'm learning to stand
The more that I fall down
It's the law of inversion
And it's all turned around
And I'm staggered by
The clash inside my soul
So purposed for good
But inclined for evil

It's justice and mercy
The old dichotomies
All along the frontlines of my heart
In both doubt and belief
The sinner and saint
The old arch enemies
All at war in me
All at war in me

I was born depraved
But created for the divine
With death in my bones
In my heart eternal life
I'd love for Eden
But I'd kill for Rome
I'm native in a land
That is not my home

It's justice and mercy
The old arch enemies
All along the frontlines of my heart
In both doubt and belief
The sinner and saint
The old arch enemies
All at war in me
All at war in me

You are the beginning
And you are the end
Into your great reversal
I am born again
A beautiful redemption
You leverage even sin
In me, your final victory
I know you'll win

Into light, from the shadows
Into life, from the grave
Into love, into love

It's justice and mercy
The old dichotomies
All along the frontlines of my heart
In both doubt and belief
The sinner and saint
The old arch enemies
All at war in me
All at war in me"

I have been nagged/intrigued/fascinated by the whole concept behind this song for a really long time. Dichotomies, opposties, are everywhere, coexisting even when it seems like they shouldn't be able to. And not only coexisting, but in many, if not all cases, depending on each other to even exist at all. It's so mind-boggling to me, that whenever I think about it I can't seem to find where to begin.

I could probably write a book on this subject, and still not cover everything. I did write a paper on this subject just last semester, in my Intro to Literary Studies class. I explored contradictions/dichotomies in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There were plenty. I actually opened the paper with the chorus to this song. It fit too well to pass up. And when I wrote to Jason Germain for his birthday, this is the song I talked about. So I've obviously given it a lot of thought.

For me, this nature of contradiction has been most striking in myself. If you've read anything I write for any period of time, you can tell that I am very introspective, so that shouldn't be a surprise. Study yourself for long enough, and you're bound to find something. It seems like every time I pinpoint something within myself, characterize myself in some way, I look at the opposite and it's always just as true as the first thing. Like how I tend to be a bit of a pushover, but am one of the most stubborn people you will ever meet in your life. The list could go on.

I wish I could wrap this up in a nice little package, provide an intelligent explanation that serves to make this all seem to make sense. But I can't. Because I have neither a nice package, nor an intelligent explanation. In all of my thinking, searching, wondering, the only thing I've been able to come up with, that I have had to use to satisfy myself, is that this is just one of those mysteries that I am never going to understand. My mind is too small. That won't stop me from thinking about it (I wouldn't be me if I did), but I just have to be content with continually searching and not fully understanding. Some things in life are like that. And honestly, I'm glad those things exist, because if I could understand everything, then what would make God so special? Nothing. He would be no greater than me. That's a scary thought.

But God is greater than me. And all this makes sense to him. He understands why. He knows how it all works. And for some reason he has chosen for all of life and existence to be a big oxymoron. If nothing else, it makes things interesting. And gives me something to think about. And makes for really good material for songwriters.