Today I’m thinking of my more favorite songs on “Still Life” since we’re celebrating its re-release. Take for instance “Matthew’s Blues.” I knew this was a stretch when I wrote it. I was thinking about the Gospel of Matthew and singing the blues has always been about more than just being sad. Singing the blues has also always been the truth, even if it hurts. So I’ve got a kind of reincarnated Matthew singing the blues about the kingdom of God. Matthew was the expert on the kingdom. He was always talking about the kingdom of God this… and the kingdom of God that…. I purposely wanted this song to be somewhat ambiguous. I was on my way to join a team ministry at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, and I wanted a song that would invite reflection and open the door on the things of God. I think I got one.

[Here is a very cool thing to do. Download at least this song (why not the whole album?) and play it while you follow along through the lyrics. There’s enough time between each lyrical verse to read my current notes without stopping the music. By the time you get done, if you haven’t gotten any chills along the way, you’re not paying attention.]

The world is trying to get it together,
Trying to help their fellow man;
Hoping we can make it better.
Do you really think we can?

This is a little like Paul telling the people of Athens that he noticed they were very religious. Lead with the positive. Everyone wants to make a difference with their lives.

You go to school to find the answers
And graduate finding there are none.
In our youth we fight all kinds of battles,
But in the end we’ve never won.

Idealism sooner or later faces up with reality and the limitations of well meaning people.

The history books are all against us
Destruction is upon us still.
To change you’ll have to find a way
To make a river run uphill.

Real change is always an uphill battle in any generation. When I wrote this, Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” was still on everyone’s mind. Is it any less true today? Even more so, I think.

The people who are optimistic
Are really way behind the times.
The geniuses are all sadistic,
Just eat and drink and wait to die…
American Pie…
Whiskey and rye.

Don McLean’s “American Pie” had been out for two years. Originally written to remember the untimely deaths of Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, it quickly turned prophetic in its prediction of the death of the creative, meaningful protest music of the 1960s. One more statement of our hopelessness against the tide of world events.

But something many have forgotten:
There’s more than merely meets the eye.
A quiet kind of revolution
Is coming down on us from the sky.

God’s movements in history are unannounced and often unnoticed.

You can’t read about it in your textbook;
You can’t see it on your TV screen.
But just the same it’s all around us,
And what’s more it’s always been.

God does not need any publicity, and usually shuns it, which is one way you can tell the Christian subculture is less Christian than culture, because it has always reveled in publicity.

So if you want to know about it
There’s one book you really ought to read,
And take a walk in a virgin forest,
And let the maker let you see
The kingdom of God.
He who has ears let him hear
The kingdom of God.
He who has eyes let him see
The kingdom of God.

No need to be too persuasive here. God has always shown His stuff to those who truly want to see and hear. Are you one of those?

Matthew’s blues gonna show the news to you
Matthew’s blues gonna show the news to you

Okay Matt, do your stuff. Those Holy Spirit inspired words are still opening people’s eyes today. Can’t help but do that. It’s the word of God, man. It’s the truth. And it’s powerful.