I like music, so it’s hard for me to pick one song as my favorite. But there was a special one that helped lead me to the Lord 30 years ago.
I had an old radio where you couldn’t see the station numbers for AM or FM. I had to mark spots on the radio of stations I liked to listen to.
One of my favorite shows was a local religious program. I don’t remember its name or the name of the host, but the host liked to play music.
He used to play a song that I really liked. It was “Not of This World” by Petra. You can listen to it here.
The song had a simple chorus: “We are strangers, we are aliens, we are not of this world.” The message confused me for a long time.
A friend at church helped explain it to me. As Christians, we are not of this world. Our home is in heaven (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11).
I don’t know the radio host’s name, but I have a feeling I’ll be able to thank him when I get home someday.
What’s your favorite song? Let us know by leaving a comment.
— Chris Pugh
My favorite song “Theif” by Third Day.
I love first that the song is from the perspective of the criminal on the cross, its a different take on it.
I love that passage in Luke about how here is Christ in his final moments on the cross is still doing missions. As one criminal taunts him, the other so dearly embraces who Christ is and defends Jesus, yet recognizes his own faults and wrong doings. He then goes on to ask Jesus to remember him and in response we get the beautiful words of today you will be with me in paradise. We all can say that’s crazy, that criminal deserves death, why even he acknowledges what is own punishment should be, he is a wrong doer, a rule breaker, non-law abiding citizen. That’s the whole beauty of what Christ has come here for. That criminal is me, with one sin I broke what God had commanded, and my punishment is death. Yet, I dont get it, instead I am given something beyond all measure, that of eternal life. That song is a constant reminder that I, with faith in Christ, no longer need to live in slave to sin and dwell on my evils, but that I am free, free to live in a way Christ intended me for. Freedom from what holds me back and live for the passion of Him.
Adam,
I really enjoy this song as well. Thanks for your comments on the passage that stands behind it. Isn’t it wonderful that eternal life is a gift!
–Beau