Learning How to Die

I just love Jon Foreman's four seasons EP's. They are just relaxing to listen to and the lyrics also have so much in them.

I probibly take more out of lyrics than they might have meant for the writer, or a least take them in a different direction. Still, I thought I would share what his song, Learning How to Die makes me think about.

The song may seem depressing to some, but for me it carries this great elegance. For me, learning how to die, learning how to fall, break... all the things he mentions are all about learning to do it gracefully. Life is hard and God says we will never truly find rest on this side of heaven.

I think we have this mixed up idea about life. For a christian, preservation of your life here on earth is not the ultimate goal. We get consumed in the world's idea of self preservation. Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. We can extract joy from this life, but our purpose as Christians here is to show God's salvation to the world. Its about Him- not us.

Instead of learning to stand on our own two feet, we as Christians are forever learning to surrender ourselves. Human survival, human nature always makes us look out for ourselves. It is natural to seek happiness. No one has to learn how to survive. We do, however, have to learn how to surrender control.

In a way the Christian journey is learning how to die daily to yourself. This takes a lot of work and pain. The Christian walk almost sounds like this long depressing road of struggle at this point. Actually it does, not almost. Jesus never said it would be easy. He said that the world rejected Him, therefore it would reject His followers.

Thankfully, we do not go down this road alone. If we tried on our own strength, the depressing tale would be the end. But God's grace goes before us and behind us. Engulfing us in encouragement and supernatural strength. We can endure what life throws our way because we understand that this life is not the end. Dieing is not a tragedy for the Christian. It is the beginning. The beginning of ultimate rest and worship of the Almighty God.

In this revelation we learn how to die. How to die to ourselves, how to fall and be humbled gracefully, but also has to literally die. Not in fear, but in joy that God's purpose is being fulfilled.

Learning How to Die by Jon Foreman
I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you
When you're gone
She says, I love you
I'm gonna miss you
And your songs

And I said, please
Don't talk about the end
Don't talk about how
Every living thing goes away
She said, friend

All along I thought
I was learning how to take
How to bend not how to break
How to live not how to cry
But really
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die

Hey everyone
I've got nowhere to go
The grave is lazing me
He takes our body slow

And I said, please
Don't talk about the end
Don't talk about how
Every living thing goes away
I said, friend,

All along I thought
I was learning how to take
How to bend not how to break
How to live not how to cry
But really
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die
Die, die
I've been learning how to die
I've been learning how to die