Why You Aren't Really Ready for Third Day...

Yep. You read that right. 20 years into their public recording ministry, concert tours, Dove Awards, etc...you still aren't ready for them.

Here's a little history. I was introduced to Third Day in the fall of 1996 at the same time I came across Pearl Jam. What I liked was that Third Day gave me the same feel of Pearl Jam, but would be mom approved. I can remember my mom going to our youth pastor to find out if Third Day was legit or one of those pseudo-Christian bands. Who can blame her? My sisters grew up in the Stryper and Bride days. You know, ambiguous Christian music. After she, herself, sat down with the album cover to Third Day's first CD and read all of the lyrics, I was allowed to procure for myself my own copy of the album, courtesy of Cornerstone Christian Bookstore in Tifton, GA. Since that time, Third Day has consistently ranked as one of my top 2 or 3 all time Christian bands.

Still...you aren't ready for them. And the truth is, I'm not either.

Over the past 20 years, Third Day has blasted Christian radio with a smooth groove that has evolved overtime, a rich and melodious lyric, as well as truth. Time and time again...truth. Over the past 20 years I have had some bands that have come and gone, but anyone around music will tell you that it is incredibly hard to maintain a consistent power punch that keeps you relevant. For example, anyone remember Darrell Evans? No? How about Delirious? Or what about Staci Orico? See, my point is made that some of these people had a good song or two, but 20 years worth is tough. I am not saying that every song that Third Day has recorded has been a #1. Quite frankly, as much as I love Third Day, they have a few songs that really annoy me. Not because they are bad songs, but just because they aren't my taste.

Still...you aren't ready for them. And the truth is, I'm not either.

Why do I keep saying that? Why do I seem to build Third Day to this king of the mountain status only to say that a couple of their songs have been annoying and none of us are ready for them? Here we go:

Have you heard their new song?



This song is great. It shows some maturation of sound in a band that is not afraid to stretch their own limits and do something just a little different. It even has a beautiful line to kick it off. Since I have embedded the lyric video, you may have watched it. In case you haven't, here it is:
"God, I'm running for Your heart. I'm running for Your heart, 'til I am a soul on fire. Lord, I'm longing for Your ways, I'm waiting for the day, when I am a soul on fire."

Wow. I have never met Mac Powell. I wish I had a chance to play in a band with him, but I haven't played my bass in 4 years (actually, sold it last year...bummer) and Tai Anderson pretty much has tenure secured. But, what I can see is that this man gets it. He gets it. His band gets it...and they have been getting it for over 20 years. This is the same group whose first hit was Consuming Fire...theme sound a little familiar?

The reason that most of us aren't ready for Third Day is because we cannot sing this song honestly. You may ride along listening to His Radio, K-Love, The Fish, The Light, or whatever your local Christian station happens to be and cheerfully croon along. You may even enjoy doing so. But, like so many of us, you may do so without realizing the weight of what you just said. Mac is calling down the fire of God on our hearts. Mac is crying out for the heart of God to be his heart. I don't think most of us are really ready for that. It's not just a simple song. It's not just a good sounding Christian platitude. It is evidence of a real transformation. It is a revolution of the heart that puts our sin to death.

Maybe these words will sound familiar. Jesus stares down the religious crowd in Matthew 9 and says "Go learn what this means, 'I desire compassion and not sacrifice.' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt 9:13, NASB). Perhaps this verse rings a bell:"This people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but the remove their hearts from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote" (Isaiah 29:13, NASB). Can we be honest with ourselves and with God and say that this is us?

The weight of this song is the majesty and glory of God. I want to be able to sing it loudly and really really really mean it. But, as Mac wrote in another song 20 years ago, "Did ya mean it?" It is an honorable thing to desire the heart of God. It is a wonderful thing to want Him to set you on fire for Him. But, it is a terrible thing to cry out for it and not mean it.

Let me encourage you this way...mean it. Truly cry out to God that He will set your soul ablaze for His glory. Ask God to truly align your affections to His majesty. Beg God to turn your heart away from sin...even those "fun" sins that we secretly love and don't want anyone to know about...yeah, those. Then, commit yourself to drinking from the well of His Word, basking in the glory of His revelation, and drawing out the righteousness of Christ. And, finally, live it. If you mean it, you will live it.

Comments