Welcome to Tuesday and Tuesday's Musical Notes! We're sure glad you stopped by! Each week we explore together a great song from the past and see just how it can relate to our lives. Sometimes we think we're mighty clever, other times we are afraid we're a bit goofy, but all the time we hope we provide insight and introspection with a musical soundtrack of great melodies and gifted musicians. A great example of both extremes happens to be around this time of year with Halloween, where Tuesday's Musical Notes has attempted to explore both the goofy and insightful. In fact, if you did a search on The Musical Notes archives on Halloween, here is what you get: Tuesday's Musical Notes - Halloween search
Today is no exception to our typical fare here at The Notes! Let's see if we're clever or goofy, shall we? And we cannot resist the temptation to say that we welcome you...with arms wide open!!!
With Y2K looming on the horizon, the band Creed released their second album to a public wanting something different from the "sky is falling" mantra being promulgated from many in the media and entertainment world at the turn of the century. Creed delivered with Human Clay. It sparked 3 hit singles, "Higher" (#7), "What If" (#2), and today's featured song, "With Arms Wide Open" (#1).
Creed, along with Pearl Jam, Matchbox 20, and a handful of others, brought balance at the end of the decade to the musical world of 90s boy bands and rappers. With heavier sounds and relatable lyrics, Creed dominated music charts and became a Grammy contender, winning the Grammy in the Best Rock Song category for writers Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti (2001).
"With Arms Wide Open" released on April 24, 2000. The song became an anthem for embracing the new millennia and a heavy metal sigh of relief from the angst felt with the approach of said new century. "With Arms Wide Open" exists in three forms, the original album version, the radio edit (which adds percussive elements and is shorter), and a video edit that includes a full string arrangement in the mix. All of these versions are found on the cd single. "With Arms Wide Open" is the only #1 song by Creed to date.
Creed is currently in hiatus. Scott Stapp began lead vocals for Art of Anarchy after the death of Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver) in 2016. Mark Tremonti is touring and recording with his solo band Tremonti. He also continues to record and tour with Creed bandmates Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall in the band Alter Bridge.
Scott Stapp cowrote "With Arms Wide Open" after finding out he would be a father for the first time. His ode to his son Jagger would be a retrospective on his hopes for the child's future and how they together could learn from the mistakes that Stapp had made in his own life.
Volumes have been written about the relationship between a father and son. There is much we can learn from reading such books. There is however an ultimate resource for what the relationship between a father and son should be. It is called the Bible. In this book, we are exposed to every kind of father that has ever been imagined. Perhaps the Bible has been more of a resource for authors than one would imagine.
The Bible includes accounts of the dysfunctional (Lot, King David, etc.) as well as THE kind and loving father (God). Today's narrative is a grand example of a good father. While some would question how far he was willing to go, his example is to be emulated. Let's take a look...
In ancient times, to have no children was to be considered cursed. Abraham and Sarah had been promised in their old age (Sarah was 90, Abraham 100) that they would indeed have children of their own (Abraham had Ishmael with Sarah's servant Hagar, Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Jealousy"). It isn't too far of a stretch that Abraham echoed the lyric of today's song: "Well I just heard the news today It seems my life is going to change I close my eyes, begin to pray Then tears of joy stream down my face". The promise was fulfilled by Sarah giving birth to Isaac. There were many tense and dramatic moments in the household because of Hagar and Ishamael, which ultimately led to Hagar and Ishmael leaving for good. But those moments paled in comparison with what God asked Abraham to do when Isaac was about 6 years old.
In one of the most incredible scenes of the Old Testament, God asks Abraham to be obedient and kill Isaac as a sacrifice. Remember earlier that because Abraham had believed in the Lord it was credited to him as righteousness. While Abraham was human and would certainly have been concerned about God's request, the Bible never indicates that he hesitated in his obedience. His confidence was in God. He knew that God's promises were true and that the nation that was to come would be from his son. Just as Abraham pulled his knife to obey, he was stopped by the angel of the Lord. The test was over and Abraham's trust in God had been confirmed and Abraham was now enabled to show his son everything that a father could.
It seems there is another Bible story about a Father actually sacrificing His Son...but more on that later.
I don't know about you, but this story from the Bible always causes me to question my own faith in God. Would I be that strong if God asked me to do something so seemingly monumental? Would I hesitate and debate with God or be immediately obedient? Dear friend, I hope that you are never placed in a similar situation where your faith is tested between what you can see with your own eyes and what you know God is telling you to do. Have confidence because God has promised us time and again that He will never leave or forsake (abandon) us. In fact, He waits to instill in you that kind of faith in Him through Holy Spirit. You might even say that he is declaring anthemically...
"With arms wide open Under the sunlight Welcome to this place I'll show you everything With arms wide open..."
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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