“Mercy is a concept integral to an understanding of God’s dealings with humankind. In English translations of the Bible, it comes to expression in phrases such as “to be merciful, ” “to have mercy on, ” or “to show mercy toward.” The corresponding term, “merciful, ” describes a quality of God and one that God requires of his people. The noun denotes compassion and love, not just feelings or emotions, as expressed in tangible ways.” ~ From Bible Study Tools

I’ve shared the song Mercy by Dave Matthews Band before but it is on my mind today for a couple of reasons. I was drawn to DMB’s music back in 1998 and have been listening ever since. My first concert was in 2002 and I saw them as recently as 2015. (And hope to this year although I do not have tickets yet!).

My friends and family really have not understood my passion for this music in the past. There were more than a couple years when I saw them perform live 8-10 times on their summer tour. Crazy? Maybe. But it brought me a lot of joy. Their concerts are like none other I have experienced. And no, their songs do not all sound the same. They have hundreds of songs they can pull from their catalogue on any given night. Every show is different.

My challenge today is thinking of the lyrics in a Biblical sense. Dave has not said he is a Christian (to my knowledge) however he does refer to Jesus and Biblical terms in many songs. But what draws people to his music is the overall theme of bringing peace, tolerance, and harmony to a world that desperately needs it. The band line up has changed a bit over the years but they are all extremely talented musicians. I’ve been asked questions like, “What’s your favorite song?” “Do you like the music or the lyrics better?” “Who’s your favorite band member?” Well I will have to answer, Dave for the last one. But the other questions are difficult to answer, however the band would not be the Dave Matthews Band without the other members. I proudly have Boyd Tinsley’s autograph on a ticket stub framed along with a picture of the back of my head while he was signing it. Ha! I admire all of them for what they do. Yes, they get paid well but they work for it every single night. The music just creates a “feeling” that is positively infectious.

Ok that is my advertisement for DMB! And to be honest I do not listen to them regularly anymore. My radio is 99% of the time tuned to Christian stations these days. Dave music will always be in my soul but I am at a different stage of life now where I desire to be close to God as much as possible and music is one way I do that. I have found that if I keep my radio on low while I am sleeping I wake up in a better mood in the morning. If you do not listen to K-LOVE, The Way, or The Message (and I am sure there are others locally) I recommend giving them a try for 30 days. (K-LOVE advertises their 30 day challenge and I wholeheartedly believe in it).  If you do not know Jesus, I guarantee you will be a lot closer after those 30 days.

Ok that is my advertisement for Christian music! My point is…music is a beautiful way to feel closer to God and connect with the word. I read my Bible daily but music infiltrates through to my soul in way nothing else does. As for the song Mercy, give it a listen. No matter what your religious beliefs or background…I think we can all relate to the message. There is one line that says “Can’t give up and hope God will intercede.” I am not speaking for Dave but I don’t think He means God won’t help. We are called to be active in showing love to others.

James 2:14-17 What good is it dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or a sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Goodbye, and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” Amen

“And until we got a new world
I’ve got to say that love is not a whisper or a weakness

No love is strong
So we got to get together yeah
Gotta get gotta get gotta get
Til there is no reason
To fight

Mercy will we overcome this
Yeah one by one could we turn it around?” ~ DMB

Yes, we can…

Blessings

Stacey ~ iamalive