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Fade to Grey

The song "Fade to Grey" by Jars of Clay has a significant place in my heart. I am utterly amazed at the ways in which this song transcends in my life. I thought that I would outline it for anyone to see. I have indented the lyrics to the song and then my comments after each part of the song.

It's not hard to know what you're thinking
When you look down on me now
Your trance of love is seeking
To turn this world around

Before I became a Christian, I was lost, so lost! It wasn't hard to know what God was thinking when he looked down on me. I knew in my heart that there was a God, but I didn't care. I was having too much fun in my sinful ways. God was truly seeking to turn my world around. Why didn't I let Him in? Looking back I only wish that I had earlier. (But then again I wouldn't be the person that I am today)

But in my state of blind confusion
No God can pull me out
I see your love is willing
To turn me inside out

He wanted to save me but there were blinders on my eyes. My state of blind confusion was my unsaved soul and my life. I had no idea how to pull out, how to find meaning in my life. There was one constant in my life at the time. I knew that there was more to life than hanging out with people that truly didn't care about me. I knew there was more to life than having friends with the only thing I had in common was the fact that our lives had no meaning. I eventually met some people that had found that love in Him, I knew he was willing, but was I?

And then I see you there
The lonely tears I cry........
I cry I wish they'd release me

And then I saw Him there, on May 2nd 1997 at a U2 concert. I saw a single light bulb on a huge jumbo-tron screen at Mile high Stadium. The screen was black the entire concert except for this one random light bulb. I doubt that anyone else in the entire stadium noticed it. Figuratively, It was Jesus for me. I only saw Jesus in that one little light bulb. He was there watching over me, protecting me. I wished I could follow Him, but I didn't know how. I was so lonely. I wished that I believed in Him.

It's in despair that I find faith
Summon the night to bow down to day
When ignorance is bliss
Won't you save me from myself

I was in such despair. I was lost. I had no meaning, no purpose in life. I had a job, that paid well and friends, but my life longed for more. I needed to be saved. My ignorance was so bliss. Please I said to God, save me from myself! I believe that you died on the cross for my sins! Please play an everyday role in my life. Be my Lord and Savior. I am a sinner, I am lost! Save me from myself, turn this world around! On May 23rd 1997 I was saved!

Chorus:

And then I see You there With Your arms open wide and You try to embrace me

These lonely tears I cry They keep me in chains and I wish they'd release me

Cold is the night but Colder still is the heart made of stone, turned from clay

And if you follow me You'll see all the black, all the white fade to grey Fade to grey Fade to grey

But is the process complete? FAST FORWARD and REWIND!!!

After I was saved, I truly did see Him there with His arms open wide, and He tried to embrace me. There were so many lonely tears that I cried, my life was in chains. I wished He would release me from my sins! My heart was stone, and my life was of the world. But slowly, I opened up my heart to be a Jar of Clay for Him to mold. He challenged me to follow Him with the promise of heavenly riches, and answers to life. No more of the black and white of this world. My treasure is in Heaven, the grey in my life is Him, I am hidden in his love. He has embraced me with his love, the floodgates have opened! I am constantly being molded by him, purification is a process in which only He knows the end.

I am a jar of clay and He is my potter. I open my life for Him to mold and shape. He is in my heart and He has released me from my sins.

It wasn't hard to know what He was thinking when He looked down on me then. His trance of love was seeking to turn my world around. But in my state of blind confusion, no God could turn me around. I saw that his love was willing to turn my world around.

Then I saw Him there, but only lonely tears could I cry, I wish He'd release me. It was in despair that I found faith, forgiven of my sins and bowed down to his light. My ignorance was rampant, but He saved me from myself!

And then I seen Him there with his arms open wide, and I wished He would cleanse me. Those lonely tears I cried that kept me in chains, He had them released from me. My heart was stone, but He now molds the clay. I follow Him, and my eyes turn to heaven and Him.

Conclusion

The song plays endlessly throughout my life. Its like a big circle that cries out and demands the need for God to guide it as it is thrown around on this world. If anyone thinks there is a discipline with all the answers and that any Christian is always following God as this song begs and pleads, let me know who it is, I'd like to shake his hand! I suspect it will be Jesus as the only one who can claim such discipline but I still preach to you today, to trust in the Lord and obey, as it all fades to grey.

Author: Keith Ramsey