Over the last week my wife and I watched a really interesting documentary about the rock band Bon Jovi. We are both of an age that we remember the music and many of the hit singles from the band.
One amazing thing about the band is their longevity. They’ve been together (with relatively few changes) for 40 years. I think the occasion of the documentary was initiated by the lead singer’s issues with his voice. Even though he is in his 60s, he was trying to recover his voice so he could continue touring.
It was interesting to hear him reflect on his career while facing the prospect of it being over. He made a statement to the effect of “I take comfort that my songs have been there for the fans. That when they needed comfort, they found it in those lyrics.”
The idea was clear. He held out hope that his songs had encouraged people when they needed encouragement and that his lyrics had meaningfully changed people’s lives.
This was one quick moment in the long documentary but it really grabbed my attention.
If people are going to get meaningful encouragement – and by that I mean real life-altering encouragement – a rock song is not the place to look. Just because someone is really famous, sells millions of records and puts on a good show, they aren’t qualified to tell you how to live your life. They aren’t plugged into what really matters.
I mean true meaningful encouragement can only come from God’s Word. It’s the only source of true encouragement and transformation.
Everything else is just “symptom management”. It doesn’t get to the real heart of the issue. It can’t make meaningful change in a person’s life.
While I really enjoyed the story of the band and appreciated the trip down memory lane to hear the songs I remembered… this really took the wind out of my sails. Bon Jovi will never cure what ails you.
It’s the classic case of looking for hope in all the wrong places. Accepting superficial comfort instead of a deepening connection with your creator.
If songs are the way you want to go to find hope and consolation, I would heartily recommend my book I Will Sing of My Redeemer.
It doesn’t feature songs by flashy rockstars, but by ancient song writers such as ….
- Martin Luther
- Charles Wesley
- William Cowper
- Agustus M. Toplady
- Elvina M. Hall
- Horatio Spafford
- Adelaide M. Pollard
Ok. These aren’t household names by and large. And they have all gone on to meet their Savior face to face.
The songs they’ve written are all based out of God’s Word and celebrate the greatness of God, the sacrifice of Jesus and the power of the gospel.
These songs will give you true hope. The lyrics will direct your eyes to where your help comes from. And if you grew up in church, will take you down memory lane to fond memories.
You can get a copy – which serves as a 52 day devotional – on my website here:
https://www.dennis-stevenson.c…
Or you can look it up on just about any big book marketplace online and find it.
Don’t turn to the empty lyrics of an aging rockstar, when the wisdom of the ages is available through these lovely old hymns.
Dennis
