Killing me softly
Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. (Matthew 11:29)
Back in the day, the recording artist Roberta Flack became known for several of her most popular songs. One such song had lyrics that somehow touched me, not because they were a "love song" really, but because of the undertone of the song as I viewed it in light of what Jesus did in my own life. The song? "Killing Me Softly With His Song". Why did this song speak to me of Jesus and his action in my life? Maybe an exploration of the words might tell you:
Strumming my pain with his fingers - Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song - Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words - Killing me softly with his song
Doesn't Jesus have just the right way to place his fingers exactly where the pain is in our lives, making what others might see as too much pain and making it into something special through the song he gently sings into our lives through his words? Killing us softly isn't really "death" in the "mortal" sense, but a death to the things that weigh us down and hold us back from being close to him.
I heard he sang a good song - I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him - To listen for a while
And there he was this young boy - A stranger to my eyes
Something draws us to Jesus - even though we don't know exactly what it is - and when we come close to him, what we hear is a "good song". His style? Gentleness, kindness, forgiveness, and grace. His hope - that we might listen - if even for just a while - for he has a story to write in our lives.
I felt all flushed with fever - Embarassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters - And read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish - But he just kept right on
Isn't it just like us to think Jesus "reads our mail" - for he knows exactly where we need his touch and exactly how that touch will impact our lives. We might stand in total embarassment as we are "found out", exposed a little and feeling pretty vulnerable, but in his gentleness, he woos us in with his words and settles our troubles spirits and wounded souls.
He sang as if he knew me - In all my dark despair
And then he looked right through me - As if I wasn't there
And he just kept on singing - Singing clear and strong
He indeed sings as if he knows us - because he does! He knows our darkest places of despair - he looks right through even those "walled off" places we might not want him or others to ever see. Why? I think it is because he wants us to know he loves even those imperfect and wounded places of our lives that others might never see. His song - it is clear and strong and it is the song of grace and love. His melody - it is healing and release. I don't know if Roberta knew it when she sang those words, but it could be she was speaking of more than some might have realized - for Jesus came through to me - how about you? Is it quite possible he is singing your life with his words! Just sayin!
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