Faith and the Grammys

In Isaiah 55, we read about the superior wisdom of God and the power of His word, which we're told will not return void:
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

That passage helps us to concentrate on the power of God's word.   And, it can offer encouragement for all of us who have been planting seeds - we may not see the fruit, or any growth at all, but God just might be at work bringing His word to mind.   We have to think that the influence that we exert toward others can have a lasting effect and eternal consequences.  When you observe someone who was raised in the church and turns away from those principles or apparently is not serving Christ, or you see someone drifting from Him...you can draw strength from the assurance that God's word is at work - so don't be discouraged and keep planting the seeds.

Ephesians 1 talks about being connected to Christ:
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe... 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

The Grammys were handed out last night in Hollywood, and there are 5 categories in which Christian musicians are recognized.   Of course, these were all given during the Grammy pre-show.

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

Winner:  10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) - Matt Redman

Other nominees: 

Jesus, Friend Of Sinners - Casting Crowns

Take Me To The King - Tamela Mann

Go Get It - Mary Mary

My Testimony - Marvin Sapp

Best Gospel Song

Winner: Go Get It (written by Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell; recorded by Mary Mary)

Other nominees:  

Hold On  (Cheryl Fortune, James Fortune & Terence Vaughn, songwriters; recorded by James Fortune 

     & FIYA, Monica & Fred Hammond)

I Feel Good (Phillip Feaster, Fred Hammond, Jonathan Miller & Calvin Rodgers, songwriters; recorded 

     by Fred Hammond)

My Testimony (Aaron Lindsey & Marvin Sapp, songwriters; recorded by Marvin Sapp)

Released (Donald Lawrence, songwriter; recorded byBill Winston & Living Word Featuring 

     Donald Lawrence)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

TIE:  10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) - Jonas Myrin & Matt Redman, songwriters (Matt Redman)

AND

Your Presence is Heaven - Israel Houghton & Micah Massey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)

Other nominees:

Jesus, Friend of Sinners - Mark Hall & Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)

When Mercy Found Me - Jeff Pardo & Rhett Walker, songwriters (Rhett Walker Band)

White Flag - Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Passion & Chris Tomlin)

Best Gospel Album

Winner: Gravity - Lecrae

Other nominees:

Identity - James Fortune & FIYA

Jesus At The Center Live - Israel & New Breed

I Win - Marvin Sapp

Worship Soul - Anita Wilson

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Winner: Eye On It - TobyMac

Other nominees:

Come To The Well - Casting Crowns

Where I Find You - Kari Jobe

Gold - Britt Nicole

Into The Light - Matthew West

And, of course, there are faith-related backstories of some of the nominees.  Also, in the pre-show, the haunting song played during the closing credits of the movie, "The Hunger Games" won a Grammy for country-folk duo, the Civil Wars, which includes Joy Williams, who has recorded a number of Christian albums.   Even though the duo has apparently either broken up or gone on hiatus both Joy and John Paul White were on stage to receive the award along with Taylor Swift.

And, in the Country Duo or Group category, the song was up against "Pontoon" by Little Big Town.  That group was co-founded by former Truth member Karen Fairchild, who met bandmate Kimberly Schlapman while they were students at Samford University.  

Plus, there was the Album of the Year award to a quirky and enormously popular group from the U.K. called Mumford and Sons.   Leader Marcus Mumford's parents are leaders in the Vineyard movement, and a piece in the American Spectator that highlights some of the pushback that the band has received due to their overtly spiritual, even Christian lyrics, says:

An NPR piece on the backlash against the band notes that the group’s singer was “raised in a devout Christian household” and that the “rise of the megachurch… has a lot to do with the newest wave of folk-rock taking hold.” The writer references a “rock ‘n’ roll code” that celebrates outsiders and subversives. Mr. Mumford, a Christian in the pop world of Lady Gaga, Ke$ha and Eminem, rebels against that code. This makes him a conformist. Do you follow?

The piece goes on to say:

Lyrically, Mumford, even if sparingly and obliquely, addresses matters of faith...

In a world without taboos the only taboo is God. A higher power reminds of limitations, authority, and that something greater than number one exists. The rock star imagines himself as a human deity, and his many worshippers treat him accordingly. God’s a real buzz kill in that anthropocentric universe.

The closing line is classic:

We don’t learn from the reviews of Babel whether or not Mumford & Sons are closeted Jesus freaks. We do learn that reviewers freak out about Jesus.

So who knows what is running through the soul of Mumford and Sons?   But, if their lyrics are exploring spiritual themes and challenging people to think about Jesus, then perhaps God can use these references in pop culture in thoughts and conversations.   The pedigree is there - Mumford is bringing it out; unfortunately, another preacher's kid, Katy Perry, is not - but there's even hope for her...it's been a crisis period in her life, circulating around a failed marriage - and we all know that the trials of life can force us to cry out to God.   You have to pray that God is not finished with the former Christian artist Katy Hudson.   So often, when you see musical artists that were raised in the church and it appears they are not walking in that truth, you have to remember that you don't know what is going on in that person's heart, and perhaps even now that artist or actor is considering spiritual truth.

So, even outside the Christian "box" at the Grammys, there is a faith element - there are some of the top names that got their start singing in church - and there are those who integrate their faith or at least communicate their faith influence through their music.   I think there's great symbolism here for us - we can be challenged to look for ways to radiate our faith, even outside the four walls of the church...not in a compromising fashion, but being tethered to Christ and intentional in our outreach.