Madness

"Don't Stop the Madness" is one of those songs that I would like to lock in a dark closet and forget it ever existed.  The song is by Tenth Avenue North -- a wonderful band, but with challenging messages.  I've found several songs on their new album, The Struggle, especially difficult to digest.  "Don't Stop the Madness" is gritty and deep and something I'd rather forget about.  Here are the lyrics that caused my reaction --

All I hear is what they're selling me
That God is love, he isn't suffering
And what you need's a little faith and prosperity
But, oh my God, I know there's more than this
If you promise pain it can't be meaningless
So make me poor if that's the price for freedom

Don't stop the madness
Don't stop the chaos
Don't stop the pain surrounding me
Don't be afraid, love, to break my heart
If it brings me down to my knees, yeah

I'm sorry?  Don't stop the pain surrounding me?  Break my heart?  I believe I must have heard that wrong.

The trouble is, the lyrics are exactly right.  I remember reading something a long time ago in the Voice of the Martyrs magazine.  It was several quotes from persecuted Christians who were talking about praying to God to give them suffering.  At first I thought that our brothers and sisters in Christ had gone crazy.  But the truth dawned on me as I read how they were joyful at the thought of suffering for their Lord.  They wanted to be counted worthy of dying for Jesus.  They did not want to be a Christian who was not recognized for their beliefs. 

It's that unexplainable, reckless abandon that this song is calling us to join in on.  We cannot be made more like the One we adore if we are not sent through fire.  And if the devil doesn't think that we are a problem to him -- if he doesn't think we are a threat that needs to be harassed -- then what kind of witness are we?

So bring on the pain, the suffering, the chaos.  Let me be worthy of suffering for You, Lord.

-Aylin