May 8, 2008
10 things we don't mention in worship songs, but that I'm happy God saved me from.
- STDs
- Philosophy
- Freeloading
- Incarceration
- Vagabondage
- Whiskey binges
- Illegitimate children
- Pack-a-day smoking
- Successful rockstardom
- Getting run over by a train
What’s your list?
Also, let me say this before anyone else does: I know it sounds like a country song.
This makes me all the more grateful to Jesus.
Same as yours,
Dad
Wait, wait, wait–I call shenanigans. That can’t be your list too, Dad, or there are a lot of interesting stories you never told us.
Your son,
Karsten
1) Wrath.
2) Myself.
3) Things.
4) Nihilism.
5) Gluttony.
6) Boredom.
6) Other people.
8) Sentimentality.
9) A variety of isms.
10) Calvinist ancestry.
Maybe it’s time to write some new songs…
How odd. Two sixes and no 7 or 8. Number 11 would have been tiredness, but apparently that’s not made the list.
when were you a successful rockstar?
Esther,
I was saved from success through complete failure.
i see!
my acting career met a similar demise. for which i am now deeply and utterly thankful to God.
1. Independence
2. Indifference
3. Ignorance
4. Immorality
5. Immaturity
6. Indulgence
7. Idolatry
8. Marijuana, Mushrooms, Suicide
God saved me, is saving me, and will save me from these…
1) World of Warcraft Binges
2) The Emo scene
3) Fundamentalism
1 – bitter sarcasm
2 – loneliness
3 – lying (most days)
4 – using alcohol
5 – cynical academic achievements
6 – believing things have to go through my head to get into my heart
7 – reflexively defending my flaws and sins (Now I count ten and deny that I’m about to before I start…)
8 – confusing brains & coping skills with lovability & righteousness
9 – bleeding to death out of the lining in my own stomach
10 – obliviousness to beauty
(OK, this was really hard to do candidly and specifically. I suggest that if you want this meme to take off, you get us to start listing things we’d be happy for God to save our coworkers / pastors / wives / enemies / presidents from…)
KP
I second most of your list. Even #10 — what’s up with #10? – (we almost got hit by a train once in the middle of the night at a train crossing with no safety arms.)
I’d also add: all cigarettes and illegal drugs (never saw the appeal) and gambling (never saw the appeal of that, either.)
God is so good- thanks for sharing Abraham.
1. Terrible money management
2. Being incredibly judgmental (still in progress)
3. Cheesy Christian music
4. Childlessness (which is of course not a sin, but I’m grateful he brought us out of it)
5. Divorce
Oh, and
6. Sharks. Or really any kind of animal attack. Thus far hath the Lord helped me.
Pride that would burst the solar system (and think it could)
callous controversy and domineering
reckless escapades looking for thrill
Being a rockstar (O how I wanted it and O how I’m glad I never got it)
Lust, lust, lust
fearing people
cynical criticism
time wasting
apathy
materialism
(He saved and is saving…)
-depression/isolation
-vain intellectualism
-idolatry of rationalism
-fear of man
-insensitivity and a terrible temper
-guilt, guilt, guilt
-journalism school
-pride in achievement
-divorced parents (they got saved too, and just in time)
[...] 10 things we don’t mention in worship songs, but that I’m happy God saved me from. « 22 Words [...]
1.myself
2.selfishness
3.bitterness
4.people pleasing
5.depression
6.poverty
7.drunkeness
8.addiction
9.hoplessness
10.hell
pretty much all these lists and more…
i think “pride that would burst the solar system” belongs in a sovereign grace song…
Ph.D.
Poetry
great hair
I enjoyed this post Abraham. Thanks for putting this together.
I’m grateful I was saved from the self-righteousness that happens when you grow up as a pastor’s kid…
Myself…If left to myself I am capable of these and much more, because things lurk around the corner that I haven’t dreamed of indulging in. But, the all sufficient power of God to deliver us from ourselves when we had not seen the need to be so delivered, is worth singing about.
STDs….I wonder how that would sound in a song?
Larry Norman mentioned gonorrhea in Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus.
I think that a worship song that included each of those ten things would make for a very interesting benediction indeed. And probably scare any visitors.
I’m glad Jesus saves even while these things remain problems. He died for me while I was yet a sinner. Still am.
That being said I understand and appreciate your post. I have my own list.
1. Riches
2. Poverty
3. Singleness
4. Friendlessness
5. Facebook Frenzy
6. Not-Knowing-God
7. Being-a-father-lessness
8. CAMPONTHIS Criticism
9. Pre-anaesthetic dentistry
10. Impact of my stupid choices
None of these things have touched me, praise Him
Melissa
STDs….I wonder how that would sound in a song?
Check out: Larry Norman – Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TliWDSLrYb8&feature=related
If I had thought of it at the time I would have included PERFECTIONISM, but know I see my #8 being out of alignment (I typed in Word then cut and paste!) and it is really bothering me, so maybe it was right not to have included it! Sorry mom, hope I didn’t dissapoint you :-)
1) As an apologetics major, I must say I’m a little put off by “philosophy” being on the list. Philosophy has such radical implications for everyday life. Wouldn’t you agree that a person’s eternal destiny depends ultimately about what they believe about God in Christ (aka theology, a discipline of philosophy)?
2) Just to make you think, I am seriously considering completely banning the phrase “illegitimate children” from my vocab. It is such a fundamentally confused term; there are NO illegitimate children, just illegitimate and unwise parents. I know it’s not Christian kosher, but I would say “bastard child” 1000 times more quickly than illegitimate.
In no particular order
1. STD’s
2. Illegitimate Children
3. A life of loneliness
4. Criminal charges of any sort (For the drugs or underage drinking)
5. Homelessness
6. The type of divorced parents that don’t get along (mine do)
7. Premature menopause
8. Carbon Monoxide poisoning
9. Traumatic Brain Injury
10. Flunking out of college
*Sam, you can change my #2 to “Illegitimate and unwise parentage”
1. Myself
2. Abortion
3. Politics
4. Mental Illness
5. Self Esteem / Health Wealth Gospel
6. A severe personality disorder that pushes people away.
7. Greed
8. Comparing my Heavenly Father with my earthly father.
9. Complacency
10. My past
1. Materialism
2. Vapid emotionalism
3. Robotic obedience
4. Boys who I thought were marriage material but (God knew) they were not
1- Jesus Worship
2- Getting caught driving DUI
3- republican politics
4- pre arthroscopy knee surgery
5- believing the doctor who told me to get spine surgery
6- The Unification Church
7- confusing G-d for my father
8- Living anywhere except Georgia
9- cable television
10-Making complete lists
[...] newest frequentfolder blog is twentytwowords. He posted a thingie today called “10 things we don’t mention in worship songs, but that I’m happy God saved [...]
Don’t worry, Sam. Not everyone needs to be saved from the same stuff.
I needed out of philosophy, but I’m glad others don’t.
Regarding the phrase “illegitimate children,” you’re right. I actually have a post about it ready to go, but you pretty much covered it.
I use it because people know what it means, not because it’s ideal.
1. The pride of completing my seminary degree (not that its bad to have one, but I was pride bound)
2. The hopelessness of utter failure because I could not complete my seminary degree.
3. A ruptured appendix that set up gangrene and later abscessed.
4. An adulterous affair (thank God for my faithful wife)
5. The cocaine habit
6. Attempted murder charges
7. Being able to play the blues
8. Deep seated pride (still in progress)
9. Living in my car
10. Always getting what I want (still in progress too).
1. Total Depravity
2. Cocaine/Heroin
3. Homosexuality
4. Prostitution
5. Homelessness
6. Dereliction
7. Institutionalization
8. Humanism
9. Eternal Death
10. Isolation from the brethren
1. Achy-Breaky Heart
2. The Macarana
3. Having to attend a Celine Dion concert
Truly saved me from, or kept me from? They are two different things.
I am thankful, also, for the thinks He has allowed me to go through! Those illegitimate children for instance. [I've always loved that phrase. My children were legitimate children - they were the same as every other child!] God used them to pull me from the Roman Catholic Church because of my indignance at them not wanting to baptize them for me. It was then He drew me to Him.
Praise God and His sovereign grace!
Death (deserved or self-inflicted)
Self-injury
Immorality
Loneliness
Pride
Self-Centeredness
Fearing what people are thinking
Addictions
Unwise relationship choices
The need to please
Robin,
You’re right. It is good that what I have been saved from is not that same as what everyone else has been saved from.
Also, you’re right about the phrase “illegitimate children.” It misplaces blame. I only used it because people know what it means, not because it is accurate.
Abraham,
I didn’t take offense, I promise. I’ve just always found that phrase to be humorous.
I think, in my unsaved state, I said something like “Really? Don’t tell the government because I plan on claiming them!” when the priest suggested my twin boys were illegitimate children.
In no particular order
1) Myself
2) Wasted Life.
3) Getting wasted.
4) The need to be better than others
5)Wrath
6) The need to swear and be cynical
7) Prosperity “gospel”
8) Sexual Immorality
9) Weed.
10) Wasted suffering.
Ah -
So it was eight bracket that became the shaded smiley. I did wonder…
8)
1-Eternal damnation
2-Living hell
3-Myself
4-Armenian theology
5-Suicide
6-Despair
7-Going to college when I was sixteen and totally unprepared (maybe at 18 I still am?)
8-Foolish friends
9-Home-churching (not that it’s inherently bad, but I’m so glad to be in the church that I’m at now)
10-A life without purpose
[...] The past few days Speaking of cleverness and virtue… This blog post was one of the most helpful thing I read all week. There’s not too much to it, [...]
1) chat rooms
2) expensive things
3) people-pleasing
4) scaring girls with declarations of undying love
5) denial
6) emasculation
7) misplaced shame
8) parents
9) MySpace
10) self-pity
8) being ashamed of admitting my mistakes
1. Suicide
2. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
3. Sexual perversion and depravity
4. Successful Rockstardom
5. Pornography
6. Fornication
7. Drunkeness
8. Depression
9. Broken back and paralysis after an ATV accident
10. Guilt (still struggle with this one, but I believe I am saved anyways)
1. The “Christian bubble”
2. Certain relationships
3. Myself!
4. Self-Imposed loneliness
5. Spiritual pride and self-reliance
6. A desire for success in the Christian music industry
7. Idolatry
8. An unhealthy & controlling church
9. A life without my husband (& consequently my son)
10. A life apart from Him
So good to think through this kind of stuff. I needed to do that tonight. He’s always been faithful!
[...] strongly encourage you to go check out his blog. My favorites of his are here, here, here, here, here, and here. Go read the blog of a man who uses brevity to an awesome end. Sphere: [...]
Wow…sorry I missed this when it was live. Great post and comments.
I was just re-reading this post. At first glance I chuckled. I then re-read it, slowly nodded my head and thought, yes, how much there is that we are spared that we don’t even know. How great is our God. Thanks for the reminder.
God didn’t save me from ‘illegitimate children’ but he did use the birth of my ‘illegitimate child’ to save me as only He could! Praise the Lord!
I’m an atheist, and I have successfully avoided every item on your list too.
[...] and tagged: God Thoughts, Worship I stole the title and premise of this post from a great blog and have decided I need to do a post on this as well. Here are my [...]
1. Arminianism
2. Weslyianism
3. Dispensationalism
4. Pelagianism
5 All or part of the Tribulation
Those all rhyme so they would work great!!
“I’m saved from the guilt of Arminianism,
From the sin and shame of Weslyianism.
Oh I’ve got to tell how God saved me from the hell of Despensationalism,
From the deadly curse of Pelagianism. And I can’t wait to see if God saved me from all or just part of the Great Tribulation!”
If you’ve seen Forrest Gump, Jenny is a great example of these lists. There is usually a Christ-like character in movies – this one was Forrest. She did not care for his love and loyalty until she was dying and truly needed him and had nothing else. For me, as a youth pastor’s wife who did not come from a Christian background, I’ve lived my share of “Jenny” moments and now to see the many youth at this crossroads…… we are on our knees before God for them! We can’t hide our rejoicing when the youth find and grow in God and the cut is deep when they become another “Jenny”
I don’t know if that was to the point enough for Abraham. Thanks for this blog. It’s a blessing!
Wow. This should be interesting. I may not make it to 10….although there are probably 75 or 2,301 that I could state….
1. suicide
2. determination to be right no matter what it cost me (and it cost me a LOT)
3. using sarcasm against others
4. recognizing unexpressed anger in myself that was a deep, deep pool that was going to kill me
5. the explosive grace of God for me that only He and I will ever understand (I’m sorry!–in a very positive way!!!—I have never heard the chord or the chorus or seen big enough blue skies or enough stars to capture that!!!)
6. the question, “Why can’t I ever wake up in the morning filled with the Spirit?”
7. the memories and details of my grandchildren being abused that God is delivering them from
8. raw controlling fear
9. the reality of temptation to unbelief and the high price that it will demand
10. this line, “I”m here singin’ a worship song and I’m sad as lost inside; as far as I see, nobody knows; they’re glad for me to hide.”
I always have this anticipation of the first “10 billion years” in heaven: we’re going to be rolling on the ground of the new heaven and the new earth, or perhaps just sitting around grinning like idiots for 10-20,000 years at a time–the angels are going to finally go to the Father and say, “What’s WITH them?” And the Father is just going to remind them that they have absolutely NO idea what it is like to have been filthy and broken and to now forever be clean, whole, happy and free. And then He’ll tell them just to give us a few more eons and maybe we’ll settle down. They will never know what it is to be saved and made clean.
Micah, just read yours over again. That’s great.
just curious, what do you mean by philosophy and what do you mean you were “saved” from it?
I keep sharing your blog but I haven’t commented yet. Thanks for the egg nog recipe btw and the bar etiquette post. My ten things are similar but include
1. mullet
2. prison
3. ex-wife
4. child support
5. alcoholism
6. following the path laid out for me.
7. weed.
8. objectivism
9. suicide
10. religion.
Thanks be to the maker of heaven and earth for my salvation, renewal of the mind and subsequent ministry.
1. English Grammar
2. Church in Apache Oklahoma
3. Running after those people who stole my laptop and getting myself killed. It was just a computer
4. liking myself so much
5. voting like a democrate
6. Sanity when my mom passed away
7. too much confidence when I preach
8. wanting to get drunk — my drunk/abusive step-father gets the assist on this one.
9. preaching without a manuscript
10. a ticket in 2003, when the HP office’s computer crashed.
When I was a kid, we had a hymn pasted into the back of our song book called “Sin Is To Blame”, and a song leader who taught us how to sing it. That song mentions some of the things on your list, so I guess sometimes we do sing about them. ;-)
Best thing I can think of that God saves me from? His people! lol I’m serious! Not saying all Christians are bad (I’m one too), just that sometimes those claiming to be God’s people hurt you the worst of all.
I list these acknowledging that I’m daily saved from them as well as once-for-all:
1. vanity
2. crippling anxiety
3. people worship
4. promiscuity
5. selifshness
6. pessimism
7. wrath
8. despair/depression
9. neglect of those who suffer
10. hatred
[...] Your List? Check out this cool post called “10 things we don’t mention in worship songs that I’m glad God saved me from”… at 22 Words (see blog roll). The author says his list [...]
1. racism
2. trusting in works for my salvation
3. living for my glory instead of His
4. caring more about what others think instead of what God thinks
5. seeking joy in all the wrong places
1. Internet Pornography
2. Illegal downloading of music
3. Ignorance
4. Myself
5. Depression (well mostly, still working on it, seems to take a different form these days)
6. The Devil (still working on him too lol)
7. Loneliness
8. Pre-marital sex
9. Internet ‘sex’ and ‘relationships’ (don’t ask)
10. Victim mentality
Some thoughts using sparse coordination:
1) my dad’s violent temper
2) my violent temper
3) hopelessness
4) emptiness
5) loneliness
6) bitterness
7) confusion
8) superficiality
9) deceitfulness
10) blindness
Illiteracy
Blindness
Deafness
Paralysis
Being orphaned younger than I was
Disfiguration
Amputation
Psoriasis
Alopecia
Losing a toenail or fingernail
abortion
addiction
pre-marital sex
jerks
suicide
idleness
drowning
fatality
marrying the wrong person
bitterness (still working on this one)
[...] thoughts, salvation, spiritual formation, Worship A while back, Abraham Piper wrote about “10 Things we don’t mention in worship songs but that I’m happy God saved me from.” I liked it so much that I’m blatantly copying him, although not his 10 [...]
*Depression/being stuck inside my own head
*Abortion (I was born outside of wedlock, and then adopted–so, no, you don’t need to explain the doctrine of adoption to me, ha!)
*Being killed because of my brother’s stupid decisions (he’s now a believer, thank God)
*Intellectual snobbery
*Religious snobbery (which is worse)
*Drug addiction
*Snake bites/anything involving anaphylactic shock/nearly dying, ever
*A career in politics
*A career in academia (kind of…I’m going to be a librarian, or that’s the plan for now)
Hasn’t saved me from losing a toenail (ow), but it has worked out for my good. It’s grown back. :D
Skiing off a mountain!
The (guess what I’m) gay “love of my life”
I think the rest are covered above (or at least, in process :-) )
1. Pornography
2. Masturbation/Sexual Fantasy
3. Further Criminal behaviour
4. the Idol of Knowledge
5, Pointlessness
6. Loneliness
7. Other people
8. Hell