Never Dim: a song of the day

I'm in the midst of the long process of loading most of my cds on iTunes. (I got a new laptop back in December.) While doing so, I'm listening to the songs I've loaded while doing other things and this is one that sticks out today.

If you've never heard of this song, or even of the group The Waiting, it's okay. This song is from their 1997 self-titled album, and I haven't heard anything about them other than from this album, which I own.

Here are the lyrics:
Never Dim
I think I smell the sunset / Think I feel the close of day
Clean-shaven correspondents / Are all crowded at the gates
Smell the oil from their torches / Their voices growing more irate
Shepherds' staffs are crooked / Leading every crooked way
All the sheep lock their doors / Yeah, they're pulling down their shades
The faithful looking in their mirrors / The faithful growing old and gray


CHORUS:
But I look at You / You're eyes are clear and bright
See Your face / It's an amazing sight
Your glory, Lord / Is still a burning light
The light that all our faithless hands / Could never dim


Think I feel the sunset / Think I smell the death of day
People laughing at a funeral / People dancing at a wake
And all the seasons blend together / This bird's losing feathers every day


And everybody's tired, and scared /And begging unbelief
But You have yet to break a sweat / No, You're not afraid / You're not afraid


Think I smell the sunset / Think I feel the close of day
Shepherds' staffs are crooked / Leading every crooked way
People laughing at a funeral / People dancing at a wake


What struck me at first are the lines, "People laughing at a funeral / People dancing at a wake". One of my pastors, Pastor Jeff, mentioned last night while he was preaching how people don't dress up funerals (and others things) any more. There's a lack of respect and honor and consideration today, among other things. This prompted me to look at the lyrics.


I've heard this song a number of times, but I guess I hadn't really listened to it. I realized this while reading the lyrics. And this song talks about today--this is the world we're living in. No respect. No honor. Hate. Craziness. Chaos. Unbelief. Emptiness. Some leaders (some pastors included) leading others "every crooked way". (All the more reason to pray for our leaders!)


Sometimes we don't want to hear it, don't want to face it, don't want to live in the middle of it all. However, when we keep our focus on Christ, we see the Truth and know reality (John 8:32; 14:6). No matter what we do, try to do, or fail to do, we can't dim that Truth.The Shepherd won't ever lead us astray (John 10). Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 12:46), and nothing we could ever do will change that. And there's our Hope (Colossians 1:27).