In your eyes

In your eyes
The light the heat (In your eyes)
I am complete (In your eyes)
I see the doorway to a thousand churches (In your eyes)
The resolution of all the fruitless searches (In your eyes)
I see the light and the heat (In your eyes)
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light,The heat I see in your eyes - In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel

 It was a while ago now, I have no idea how long, that I went to a movie about the making of the album "So" by Peter Gabriel. I have always been a fan of his music and I found more than one song on this album to be intensely spiritual; Sledgehammer, That Voice Again, and Red Rain in particular. I found the most spiritual song, by far, to be In Your Eyes. The lyrics smacked of so much religious imagery and the longing to be made complete in the eyes of someone spoke deeply to me as a pilgrim on my journey into a relationship with God. Well, little did I know that this was Gabriel's intent all along.

 Gabriel mentioned that there is a tradition in certain African tribes to write music and lyrics that could be construed as both romantic and religious. He tried to strike that balance in the song In Your Eyes and I think that he did given the impression that I had of it. But I believe that there is so much more happening. So much more than he intended. In fact, he seemed surprised at what was happening with that song when he sang it live in concert. His description of the "event" has not left me and has even strengthened my faith.

 Unlike any other song he sings, Gabriel reported that this one in particular evokes something akin to worship when it is sung live. Now, granted, his arrangements of the song in concert surpass the version on the album in every way imaginable, but I think there is something else going on. I think that he is tapping into the restlessness of every heart, the deep down restlessness, to find rest in God. But even more than this, I am being bold here, I believe that God himself is reaching out to those restless hearts through this song. It is almost as if he is saying "Come...feel my embrace and see clearly! Let me show you what a thousand churches cannot. Your search ends in me where your desires find their satisfaction. Grasp marvelous things and behold what only I can show you..." That is the only explanation I can give for the religious experience that many find in its crescendo.

 And then the song is over. The lighters put away. The crowd files out and marvels at this and that. The tour moves to another city and the invitation is issued again. And again. And again. And again. 

 Dad? When will you stop drawing close? When will you be silent? Please! Please never! Please pursue me. Please shout me awake! Please never stop calling me up and out. 

 Please, Dad. I want to touch the light and heat I see in your eyes.

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