Friday Night Videos: Jesus Is Just Alright

Early in their career, back when their fan base was still mostly crowds of bikers and stoners, a band called The Doobie Brothers borrowed a gospel song and turned it into a rock and roll classic. For some reason, this morning when I woke up I was compelled to do a YouTube search for this song… perhaps it had played on the radio yesterday at work and stuck in my head. I really don’t know, but that’s not the important part… what I found fascinating is the video I found. Nearly forty years after they originally performed the song for the first time, the band sounds better than ever as they sing in beautiful harmonies and hit ever note with great precision.

I used to not know that this song was a remake of a gospel tune; I thought it was just a bunch of good ol’ boys singing about how they’re alright with Jesus. But the more I listen, the more I get it… to the writer who sang it as gospel, and to these rock and rollers who have been singing His praises for almost as long as I’ve been alive, Jesus is more than just alright.

Understanding the simplicity of this song is as wonderful as the simplicity of a solid relationship with God, when you just accept His love. It was an interesting discovery, in both respects.

As I wish you and yours Merry Christmas, I hope you all are able to enjoy the season for what is most important during our time here in this life. I am so excited to once again be travelling home to be with my family. Taking a break from my everyday routine will be a wonderful experience as it always is, I am sure… I’ve been truly blessed this year and a lot of good has come my way. I believe strongly we reap what we sow; I have been working hard to live a better life, and to do the right thing… and while I know we must never get too sure of ourselves, I have confidence the recent success I have seen is my reward for my effort to be a better man.

It took me a long time to understand, and I still question it from time to time. The God I have come to trust would want me to question his very existence, because if I am not questioning, then I am not living. So as I question, I sometimes wonder how it could be that a presence that I can’t see, or touch, or literally speak with face to face could have ever put a man on this earth; His Son, no less… and that ultimately that man, the Son of God, would sacrifice himself for the salvation of each individual who would simply accept Him as our Savior.

It is an overwhelming story to comprehend, and even more intimidating to believe… but if you just open your mind and understand that Jesus is just alright…