The Cedars and the Leaders (#jammed daily devo, day 316)

Day 316: Thankful for music.

“Let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!” Judges 9:15b

The best rock band of all time is my favorite rock band of all time. It’s not just because they stay out and away from trashy headlines and pompous agenda pushing …their music grabs me. It’s deep …and it comes from the artists’ intent on making the world a better and more peaceful place from the abilities their platform enables.

One of their songs inspired me to look further into the Cedars of Lebanon. These trees were extremely valuable, and in this verse, symbolize leadership. The trees are a part of symbolic parable involving a plot to deceive Gideon, which is exactly what happened.

In U2’s song “Cedars of Lebanon”, also uses the imagery of these majestic trees to allude to the realities of political leadership.

It is sung in the character of a war correspondent who is “squeezing complicated lives into a simple headline” and who “observes “this shitty world” where the aroma of a rose “lingers and then it just goes”. Wikipedia 

(I’m in no way giving a U2 song Biblical legs to stand on, but I love the way they think so deeply about the songs they put out there for us to marinate on.)

All Biblical leadership fell in time. Even King David. There will only ever be one King that will reign for ever. King Jesus. All other leaders in this world …even those with best intentions …will struggle with jealousy, power, arrogance, control …sin. Their intentions will never single handedly save the world. Only One is capable of peace. Because He is Peace. And He’ll be back. Tune in to Him. #KingJesus

Father,  Praise You for King Jesus. Thank You for artists that push us to think about our world from different points of view, and for people that truly try to instill peace and make a difference. Help us all to be brave enough do our part, and always align what we hear and see to Your Truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace! 

#greatgrace17

Happy Measuring,

Megs

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