As I’ve written before, I believe the blues are modern psalms of lament. They name everyday pains and stresses with-in an accessible musical and rhythm scheme. The blues are beautifully honest. I thought many of us might need a dose of post resurrection honesty and lament. Everyone knows the Good Friday mantra: It’s Friday but Sunday’s coming. Most of us know the other experience too. It’s Easter Sunday but Post Resurrection Monday’s coming. This day after Sunday psalm is an expression of waking up from the high of Easter Sunday on Monday. And life looks and feels much as it did without Easter. Pray this lament with me.
Lord, I’ve got those post resurrection blues.
I stepped out in my Easter Sunday-go-meetin’ shoes;
Wore a dead-raising tie and fine Easter suit.
But it’s Monday now and change is in dispute.
Lord, I’ve got those post resurrection blues.
I still ain’t been livin’ by your gospel truth.
By the power of the cross we’re outa prison,
So Sunday I stood and prompted, “He is risen!”
The people shouted back, “He’s risen indeed!”
Yet, we sit all frozen like we ain’t been freed.
Lord, I’ve got those post resurrection blues.
I still ain’t been livin’ by your gospel truth.
I believe Jesus already conquered death.
But I’ve not yet breathed much hopeful breath.
I still gotta friend fighting’ off cancer,
Another still ain’t heard your quiet answer.
Lord, I’ve got those post resurrection blues.
I still ain’t been livin’ by your gospel truth.
I believe Jesus already shook hell and rose.
Breathe your Spirit in me until my trust grows.
‘Cause the truth’s not yet traveled that long road
From head to heart to unloose my eternal load.
Lord, I’ve got those post resurrection blues.
I still ain’t been livin’ by your gospel truth.
Salvation’s washed over us like a wave.
‘Cause it’s true Jesus walked free from that cave.
Death’s strings detached; Death’s sting no match.
Proved his great love for us beyond other facts.
Lord, I want to throw off my Easter ruse.
The whole world’s got post resurrection blues.
Everybody gussied up in Easter suit and holy blush.
Pretendin’ but Monday life ain’t changed enough.
Lord, we’ve got those post resurrection blues.
We still ain’t been livin’ by your gospel truth.
Still, Lord, I know I ain’t who I used to be.
Bent for hell, my soul’s deserved destiny.
Livin’ like tomorrow ain’t gonna come,
Snatchin’ at the Devil’s every measly crumb.
Lord, I want to throw off these resurrection blues.
Be dressed in your true eternal Easter suit;
Your death killed death and your gift of life is true.
To face life’s heavy trials like I got a clue.
Lord, throw off our post resurrection blues.
Revive us to live everyday by your gospel truth.
Lord, throw off our post resurrection blues.
Deliver us with everlasting great good news.
My first blues psalm lament was also a great help to many. Woke Up This Mornin’ with those Desperate Prayin’ Blues
My blog What Does Resurrection Life Look Like may help with the post resurrection blues as well.
“head to heart “,… surface (visible) to inner (invisible) truth(s),… it’s a continuing journey, with many ~ as yet unknown ~ discoveries still possible,… who-what-where is our “source of inspiration”?,… and who-what is responsible to “make it happen”?,… does one part of ourselves continuously victimize another part of ourselves (often blaming someone else entirely)?,… what is the most important question to ask ourselves?,… how can God find the “key” to our listening heart?,…
one Biblical suggestion is:
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
just rambling on about the “head to heart” pathway ~ it seemed to me that I “began” processing external life data, by being very interested to learn and understand about things around me,… I think I was “basically trusting”, thanks to a basically safe and affirming home environment, and the company of my year younger brother, who shared a pleasant, fun and lively curiosity with me,… of course, I was naive and “in a child-like bubble”, but the inevitable losses and challenges woven into life, begin to warn us that we will need to understand all these things better, eventually,… as the randomness of our external environment expands to include more people/”strangers” and awareness of world events looms larger, our “outer world” (perhaps at first an exciting adventure) may also begin to “feel heavy”,… somewhere in the midst of this process, people begin to feel the need to find ways to “cope” with the intensity/stress/questions/etc,…
it is at this point, that I think our need for finding the strength of our own “truth” within, and our “answers” to the questions that life continually evokes, presents itself,… our “heart” becomes the refuge from all the chaos and confusion that infuse the events that surround us and pull at our energy and attention,…
the only truly effective and protective aid and influence that I ever found for helping in this process was having a real and trusting relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, and of course, His Word, the Bible,…
it’s interesting that we often think of the “heart” in terms of “romantic” things involving other people, “love”,… but I think “our Salvation” is also a “love event”, and it’s very important to have internalized that “God loves us/loves me” as the foundation of that, and that this connection will grow stronger and stronger as we pursue our relationship “with Him”,…
it is then that we have both the mental awareness (head) of the things that are around us, but we have also developed a strong core (heart) that can be so helpful in guiding and protecting ourselves, and choosing our path, as we walk in the midst of so many influences,…
when our own “heart” is developed and secure, in this way, we can certainly find many ways to be loving and extend our care to those around us,…
Psalm 1:1-3
“1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.”
That’s one of my favorite Psalms. I like your phrase when our own “heart” is developed and secure. God is in the business of doing just that.
this “musical” post has kept me thinking this week!,… besides “head and heart” stuff, I was surprised to realize that I actually have a personal favorite “blues” CD, although I wouldn’t have called it that,… a local female singer/guitarist (Maggie Seligman), along with a very talented group playing other stringed instruments, made a very gentle (but exciting) CD, which sounds quite cheerful instrumentally (just lovely), but vocally (with an “Irish lilt”, to my ears) she sings several classic and very soulful “laments”,… somehow, through it all, she sounds pretty “brave and determined”, which may be why I didn’t really think of it as “blues”,… but truly, it is,…
so, I had to think about that ~ what part of me seems to “need”, and enjoy playing, these (emotional) “blues”?,… I definitely enjoy playing the CD (over and over) in my car (an older car, btw), and it definitely feels more soothing and relaxing than playing nothing, which is what I was doing before finding this CD,… … … hmmmm ?,…
so, that led me to consider “spirit, soul and body” ~ another way of describing our complex, multi-dimensional, human relationship to life ~ our experience(s), and our variable needs, all of which challenge us to be “getting it more right than wrong”,… and which evolve throughout our lifetime,…
as a church musician (for decades, now), I’m probably pretty consciously focused on what could be considered “spiritual” input and inspiration for our lives, connected with music (both Spanish and English forms and traditions ~ it’s pretty exciting!,… and if I weren’t already “myself”, I think I would be a little bit “jealous”! (joke/lol!)),…
when it comes to a lot of “rambunctious” music (some even without much melody, or any “Godly” messaging), I’m not “much of a fan”,… I’m inclined to think of it as being more related to “body” modes, or perhaps “other types of spirits”, which I won’t even “get into”,…
but “what about the soul”?,… that seems to be a very rich source of both “need” and inspiration for the vast amounts of creative energy that have given us so many amazing and expressive songs throughout the years,… and certainly, a lot of variety ~ “blues” being just one,…
so, I think your post put me more consciously “in touch” with my own “soul”, and it has been very interesting,… certainly, it is feminine, and very sensitive to the “female frame of mind (and emotional tendencies)”, as well as having a specific personal outlook and point of view about life,… obviously, not everyone around us will be as sensitive to, or aware of, or “tuned into”, our own deep inner feelings,… so, we can tend to feel like “strangers in a strange land” (a popular phrase from the ’60s!), “alone” in the midst of an amorphous disinterested crowd, misunderstood, abandoned, etc,… thank goodness, a “soul” like that is very ripe for having “God come to the rescue”!,…
but it also made me think of how different other “soul personalities and human types” must be ~ male vs female, etc,… it’s wonderful to find something that we personally resonate with deeply, but there is also a lot we can learn about “others”, if we listen with that in mind,…
and I do consider the “soul” to be an imperfect, and all-too-humanly experienced awareness of our situation in “life”, with our own self and with others,… without the “light” and the input of the true “spiritual realm”, the soul can collapse in on itself, and make a lot of mistakes, going around in circles, finger-pointing and judging others as if one’s own soul is “like God”,… which it isn’t,…
so, my prayer is for us to always be willing to look out and beyond our personal “life experiences and conditions”, to the One Who has called us, to hear what He is saying to us,… in this way, we can learn to re-calibrate our “soul” relationship to “earthly life”, and hear a “new” message that is both healing, and that will point us to true “Wisdom” ~ Wisdom that will guide us in safely and happily transcending the limits of our earthly conditions,…