At the end of the Idol Gives Back charity show, the remaining contestants sang "Shout To The Lord!" And at the beginning of the results show the next night, they sang it again... this time without changing the word "Jesus" in the first verse to "shepherd."
This is so NOT something you usually see on "regular," live TV. Typically, shows try their hardest to remove God from the program or to insult or defile Him in some manner. What a refreshing moment to see God glorified with so many viewers in watching His work in progress!
Here was a 2-hour show with it's primary focus being to raise money to HELP PEOPLE in America and Africa - to help CHILDREN, specifically who are battling povery, disease, loss of one or more parents, homelessness, hopelessness. Can you get any more "Jesus" than that? He was the first to extend a hand of help to the poor, the undesirable, the repugnant. He was the first to "give back" - there could not have been a more fitting finale to this program on Wednesday.
Of course - the comments on just one of the YouTube videos is nearly 400 with people arguing back and forth about various portions of the show:
- The lyrics change - using shepherd instead of Jesus in the first verse
- The obnoxious bleeped-out comments by Ben Stiller that aired immediately after this heartfelt song.
One comment said this regarding the lyric change:
Yea, I heard that and thought, 'wait it doesn't go like that,' I guess they were afraid that if they sang His name this would happen: Mountains bow down and the seas will roar, At the sound of Your name...
*grin* I love that comment! 
I don't know what affected the change in lyrics in the first place nor the fix on the second singing. What I do know is that regardless of what "word" was used, this particular song is one of the most well-know CHRISTIAN contemporary songs of all time. Like one comment by archerAU said:
"Even with the name removed... it's pretty obvious this song's got nothin' to do with Buddha, so i think it's safe to say, despite it being removed, we should still be joyful that such a song as this would have been played on such a grand scale, for so many people, who'd never have expected this! It was awesome, Ithink!"
Amen to that! :)
God knows when "baby steps" need to be taken with people's hearts. Millions of people watched the charity show... as well as the results show. While some may be angry, others may feel a softening of their hearts and minds... an yearning to find that peace that elludes them. Think of this as just one small chink in an armor of Godless media that we are bombarded with.... enough cracks, and the armor is useless. God will find His way into the smallest of openings in someone's heart. So I'm so happy that someone at Idol stuck up for God and incorporated this song - whatever words.... "shepherd," "savior," "Jesus," "Lord," "King," "Almighty" - it is all the same ONE and loving God.
Thanks, American Idol!
Link to originial performance on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1n61AllirA
Link to reprise performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WOzF9ZGA7A
(Of course - there are several postings of this!)
2 comments:
I totally thought of you, Maggie, when I saw this performance. I also thought it was GREAT and very refreshing. I read one review where someone said that it bothered them for it do be done as a group number because she felt like the finalists were forced to sing about something that they may not believe in. How does she know that they weren't given an option? And I've heard quite a few of the contestants sing solos that contained references to God. It would be my guess that most of them, if not all, are Christian in one form or another. I know that David A. and Brooke are. I think it was a very inspiring song for many people.
It was a bitter-sweet week for me. I was very uplifted by that performance, but I was crushed and downright mad (still am) by the results that week. I miss me some Michael!
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