Rick Lee James > Quotes

“You see, like the teachings of Jesus, this Psalm doesn't make sense in the world where we live. In our world, at least at first glance, Psalm 1 doesn't seem to ring true. Wicked people seem to be exactly the ones who prosper. The celebrities of our time are usually not known for their righteousness. Greedy, sexy, promiscuous people are lifted up in our society like the Holy Grail. The people the Psalter tells us to avoid having as role models are the very ones the world calls blessed and urges to us to emulate. In the world where we live, people who cheat tend to get to the top the fastest. This Psalm, like the words of Jesus, simply does not fit in the success structures of our world. But in the Kingdom of God things work differently. The poor are the haves, and the rich are the have nots. The weak are considered the strong. The people who are not seen as lovely in the world are considered beautiful in the Kingdom of God, because love makes us beautiful. Psalm 1 is a declaration that things are not as they seem. It's a reminder that worship may seem like a waste of time but it is a holy waste of time. We could be out there in the world with all the other wicked people trying to make a buck and clawing our way to the top. However, we instead come to the house of God to be reminded that in God's world order, those who will meditate on Him are like trees planted by water. To be still and know that He is God will get you much further than running around in a panic trying to get just a little more. Trust becomes a greater commodity than suspicion, satisfaction yields greater returns than ambition, and accomplished effort always holds more sway than the appearance of busyness.”
― Rick Lee James, Out of the Depths: A Songwriter's Journey Through The Psalms

“The statement, "Jesus Is Lord" is not a religious statement, it is a political one. When you become a follower of Jesus, when you make him Lord, you are swearing off allegiances to all other rulers of the world. Easter is a proclamation that there is a new Lord in town and all the governments of the world are now subservient to Him. To be a citizen of the Kingdom of God means you are now a part of a Kingdom that loves their enemies and prays for those who persecute them. You are now a part of a kingdom that overwhelms its enemies not with violence, but with the love of God.”
― Rick Lee James, Out of the Depths: A Songwriter's Journey Through The Psalms