It’s All About the Song . . . 

"Asleep in the Light" by Keith Green

On a trip to Carbondale, IL to see the 2nd Chapter of Acts, a coworker of mine said, "Hey, my church is having a concert this Sunday, you wanna come?  It's like $3.00 or something." He told me the artist was brand new, and his first album hit the stores on Tuesday.  After a great 2nd Chapter concert with Mike & Kathie Deasy, I was hyped for another Christian concert, even if I didn't know the artist.  

I took my best friend to the concert only to be disappointed as I entered the venue.  Maybe 300 people and no guitars, no bass, no keyboards, and NO DRUMS.  There was a huge grand piano on the stage, and my immediate thought was "Oh great churchy piano music; not rock 'n roll."  My disappointment increased significantly as this dude with a huge afro walked to the piano and begin pounding out chords while his head bounced up and down in time to the music.  My mind immediately flashed back to Mitch Miller and I fully expected someone to say over the sound system, "Just follow the bouncing ball."  

My negativity quickly changed as Keith Green began to sing "You Put this Love in My Heart."  I left the concert completely blown away, and bought "For Him Who Ears to Hear" before I left the concert. Melody was working the table, and I so regret I did not ask them to sign that LP before I left. 

Many people have had a similar experience seeing Keith Green for the first time, but I feel privileged to have seen him quite literally before anyone in my area had even heard of him.  I spent the next year playing his album for everyone I knew who liked Christian music, but literally, none of my friends seemed impressed.  I know I played "You Put this Love in My Heart," "He'll Take Care of the Rest,"  and "Easter Song" but seriously, I got no takers. 

Like I said, I was completely blown away by the concert and challenged by his words of admonition, and encouragement, but there was one song that completely stopped me in my tracks and that song left me quite broken and speechless - "Asleep in the Light."  No Christian song before, and quite literally after, has ever impacted me quite like that song. I purchased the album specifically for that song, but when I arrived home, I realized the song was not on the album. I was bummed to say the least. 

As I mentioned, I played Keith Green for everyone who would listen, and I just didn't get any takers.  Meanwhile, I waited with tremendous anticipation for a second album that would have both, "Asleep in the Light" and "Dear John Letter to the Devil" - songs that remained in my head for two years.  Shortly after "No Compromise" hit the stores, a strange thing happened. A significant number of my "music" friends started asking me, "Omigosh Rick, have  you heard Keith Green?"  Of course I've heard of Keith Green, and proceeded to start talking about the album "No Compromise" and "Asleep in the Light."  They had no idea what I was talking about because they had just discovered "For Him who Has Ears."   I was shocked, but did not hesitate to remind them that I played that album for them two years earlier as I then pitched what I considered an even better album, "No Compromise."  Ah the joy of those early Jesus Music days. 

“Asleep in the Light” - perhaps my personal response to this song clouds my view, but I am convinced this song should be played in every church in the United States. As Keith intones, “How can we be so dead, when we’ve been so well fed?”  Without question, the church of Jesus Christ in America, and sadly I include myself in that, is truly “asleep in the light.”  Hold up a mirror and take a look as you listen . . . 

Video: "Asleep in the Light"