Monday, March 20, 2017

Rich Mullins

The picture above is an entry from the Chicago book.  I came across almost the exact same quote about 3 years after I had done the book when I was reading An Arrow Pointing to Heaven, by James Bryan Smith.  It is a devotional biography about one of my absolutely favorite musicians, Rich Mullins.  Chapter 10's title page opens with a quote from Rich Mullins' song called "Live Right."  The quote says, Live like you'll die tomorrow, Die knowing you'll live forever.

I was going to place this link at the end of the post, but I want to put it here instead as an introduction to who Rich Mullins was.  It is interesting how the interviewer, Sheila Walsh, comments at the end of it, "Well, it sounds like we only have about 4 more years of Rich's music...."  She was referring to a joke he had made about himself earlier in the interview.  However, it turned out to be true.  He was gone from this world within 5 years of the interview.  Well, here it is.  It is about 25 minutes long, so please watch it at a time when you can see the full interview.  You won't be disappointed.

I was first introduced to Rich Mullins as a very young teenager when my Mother took me to a concert of his at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln, Illinois.  I enjoyed the concert, but nothing in particular about the evening stands out too much.  I wish I could go back and attend it again as the person I am today.  My Mom bought me a cassette tape of his at that time, and I would go to sleep almost every night in high school listening to it.  It brought me much peace, and still does.  It is the album, The World as Best as I Remember It vol. 1.  One of my favorite songs (they are all favorites really) is "Calling Out Your Name."  He plays the dulcimer on that one, and it is such an inspirational sound.

I am grateful to my Mom for taking me to that concert, and doing other things to influence me in a direction of faith.  However, after high school I drifted away from faith, hope, things like that, spiritual things.

But I came back!  It is interesting that the first sermon I heard, by Pastor Lutzer at Moody Church in Chicago, was about that very thing; coming back to the Lord.

Now listening to Rich Mullins' songs brings me even more peace.  I understand them better now because I know the Bible better now.  Mullins' poetry is derived directly from specific verses in the Bible.  For instance his song "Who God is Gonna Use" is about Balaam and Esther, two people who God placed in particular places at particular times to ward off evil intents against the Isrealites, God's people.  He's not just singing thoughts, ideas, wishes.  He is singing truth.  At some point I let go of that cassette tape, but I bought the cd as well as volume 2.  I also now own The Jesus Record, which is an album of the last songs Rich Mullins ever wrote before he tragically died in a car accident in 1997.

His influence on people (including me) who had never met him, never could have met him, is astounding.  There is story after story about someone feeling like their life is over, feeling down and out, but come across a Rich Mullins song.  Then they hear his words, and it practically heals them!  Its a balm to their soul, because he is reflecting the message of Christ in song.  He focused on that message.  He wasn't afraid to reveal it in the best way he knew how.  I join everyone else who says THANK YOU Rich Mullins, for your faith, your courage in this life, to live as though you will die tomorrow, and die knowing you'll live forever.

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