On,Now,To the 42nd Level

If you've not been through your form of a Romans 7 then please look away now.....go to the next post or something! This will be meaningless to you. Enjoy God's cosy nest!

But for those who are going through Romans 7 now....and nothing is seeming to work. All those tried and tested ruses

like

fasting, praying extensively, conferences, mammoth Word sessions....lots of fellowship....praise CDs or praise meetings are just nolonger cutting it.....

Well....you know I've already introduced you to Mark Knopfler encouraging us to build on the Rock....This is Mark King of Level 42...in an extraordinary live version of "Man",written 1989, the lyrics of which were read out in my 1989 Introduction to the 3rd level.

This is the nearest you'll get to a Romans 7 song whose lyrics both encompass us as individuals....but also a kind of Romans 7 corporate thing the whole world is going through...mirrored by the groanings of the very earth itself, as we learn reading further in Romans 8.

"Staring at the Sun" album 1989, had many great sounds and lyrics, but as you'll hear on the Youtube clip...it's not a sound for the tops of the charts to keep you humming. And if you play the other Youtube clips....when it's done badly the song doesn't really work at all. But here it is done very well....and you can hear in the rather "Mythe de Sisyphe" chord sequence, the music describes perfectly the relentlessness of it all. Sisyphus was this Greek myth about someone condemned to roll a great big stone up a hill nearly to the top, but then it rolls all the way back down again, and the poor chap has to begin again.And again.And again. But, in the song, even in all the brokenness, and the pain you hear this concrete affirmation building on the inside of your spirit......

"Father.....the heart of history!" The musicians really break out in this performance.

It's all pretty meaningless when discussed by the left-brain....it takes music to define the whole process.

Man by Level 42

Hey man where you been
You can’t run away
From the life you made your own
Now that it’s gone and left you down and out
You’re not so complete
Now what do you say
All the answers you propose
Nobody chose to hear this time around

Hey man you’re so vain
You rise up again
To perform to pressure now
No way to treat that precious heart at all
Calm down you’re too proud
Now what do you know
You present some facts to face
But nobody chose to look this time around

Head in the clouds
No silver lining
What could be wrong

Hey man why so blue
What’s come over you
Sentimental apathy
Ain’t gonna buy no sympathy today
Wide world wearing thin
Wild words deafening
Shout about integrity
And then you go and throw your dignity away

We’re all the same
We’re all to blame
What could be wrong, yeah

Hey man you got carried away
Carrying on the games that you play
Playing is not the way to win
cos winning can be a way that you lose
And losing is not the way you would choose
Given the choice you’re trying to change
Changing again you’re carried away

Do you remember the day
So long ago so far behind
That history wrought in the fire
That filled your mind with mad desire
Chasing the centuries down
Long roads you cut through flesh and field
Pulling the past as you run
And it’s dragged you to your knees
It’s time to pray

It’s getting harder to pay
Too many people
For the rent

Given a number of ways
Is there no way you can change
”Father…..the HEART OF HISTORY”
”Time marching on….Face the future….(???)”

Hey man sing the blues