Friday evening my wife and I listened to U2's Joshua Tree while preparing dinner. Because I was five years old when this album came out the U2 I am more familiar with is the one that makes spanish words up while selling Ipods. I am mixed on that U2, but the band that made Joshua True, October, and War is astounding (not exactly breaking any new ground here, I know).
I am not generally one to distinguish between Christian and non-Christian music, at least in that vast realm of gray in between "Amazing Grace" and "Me So Horny". But if I were to do so, this album would fall squarely on the Christian side, and I think I would nominate it as the best Christian album ever recorded. If there is a theme to the album I think that it would be longing. The song that drives the theme most clearly is "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" which boldly states: "I believe in the Kingdom Come/Then all the colors will bleed into one/But yes, I'm still running/You broke the bonds/You loosed the chains/You carried the cross and my shame/You know I believe it/But I still haven't found what I'm looking for." It is tempting for the more legalistic of us to take offense at that last part. In fact, a common question I read when travelling entirely too deep into message boards is how can Bono really believe that God will redeem the world, that Christ died for the world's sins, and still not have found what he is looking for? I suppose my answer to that question would be that he does it the same way all of us who call ourselves Christians should.
By God's grace I fully believe that he sent his Son to die for me and that one day the world will be redeemed, but in the meantime life can be so incredibly frustrating. I long for the day when my children won't cry, when my sin won't hurt those around me, when other's sin won't hurt me, when there is peace and when I don't have to watch my grandparents slowly die. That is what I am looking for, and I still haven't found it. That is frustrating, despite the fact that I know it will change someday, maybe even more so because of our awareness of the fall.
Next time you have had a long day or week I would recommend you throw this album on. It still sounds modern despite being 22 years old, and it expresses the deep rooted pain of our participation in this broken world in an honest and direct way while also fully acknowledging the miracle of our salvation and redemption.
- jason
This album definitely holds great meaning for me also. I believe it was the first album, along with REM Green, that the message came through loud and clear. I now love this album for the last few songs instead of the first few songs, which seems to be my measure for greatness.
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