138. Rock Goes The Gospel - Areosmith "Living On The Edge"

"Livin' on the Edge" is a power ballad by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album "Get a Grip" This song talks about how the world is a crazy place, but people remain stuck in their routines and refuse to change. (They will not take a risk) According to the Aerosmith autobiography Walk This Way, the song was inspired by the Los Angeles riots of 1992, which took place after the white police officers accused of beating the black motorist Rodney King were acquitted.The single reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for nine weeks, making it Aerosmith's most successful single on that chart. In the UK, the song peaked at #19 on the UK charts in April 1993.

There's somethin' wrong with the world today
I don't know what it is
Something's wrong with our eyes

We're seein' things in a different way
And God knows it ain't his
It shore ain't no surprise

Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge

There's somethin' wrong with the world today
The light bulb's gettin dim
There's meltdown in the sky

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister you're a better man than I

[Chorus:]
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't stop yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge

Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion
Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Even if it wasn't would you still come crawlin'
Back again
I bet you would my friend
Again & again & again & again &again

Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion
Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Even if it was would you still come crawlin'
Back again
I bet you would my friend
Again & again & again & again &again

Something right with the world today
And everybody knows it's wrong
But we can tell 'em no or we could let it go
But I'd would rather be a hanging on
[Chorus]

Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Chorus]

Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'

"Living on the Edge" by Areosmith is a song about risk taking. It's a song that encourages us all to step out from where you are and to take a risk. The song has undertones of deep disatisfaction within it. In this devotion today I will be exploring the theme of "Risktaking" and one of the the greatest risk takers was Abraham so it's fitting that we hear about him from Hebrews 11:8-10.

As Christians we like nothing better than playing it safe. We are those who when we are confronted by the risks of life first gather as many facts as possible, view the options, and make choices so that we are in control and reasonably certain of the outcome. Abraham did not gather the facts, view the options, was not in control and could not forsee the outcome. He took a risk. 

At times we tend to label risks as “undesirable” because in the end we do not trust and we believe that it could end up causing loss and heartache and trouble for us and others; we fear unwanted results as much as we dread missing out on our dreams. That would be enough to have us stay at home. We are also afraid of looking foolish or incompetent, incurring financial difficulty, or facing physical danger. From a human viewpoint, eliminating uncertainty makes a lot of sense. At times this attitude is not the perspective of God.

God’s perspective is that there are times for the followers of Jesus to take risks! There are times that we are encouraged to say yes despite what we can see in front of us. When God is the one asking us to step out of our comfort zone we can consider ourselves safe in His hands and safe under His direction Just Like Abraham in the passage. From the Lord’s viewpoint, there is no uncertainty, because He has control over all things and He will never fail to accomplish His good purposes (Eph. 1:11).

More than Abraham the Bible is full of real people who took risks to obey the Lord. One was Ananias, whom God sent to minister to the newly converted Saul. Ananias risked his reputation and his life to comply. Another was Saul himself, who was told to preach to the Jews the very gospel he and they had so violently opposed. By focusing on God, His character, and His promises, both men obeyed despite uncertainty, doubt, and fear. These men were just like Abraham of old. They took risks. They trusted in God.

Spiritual growth is stunted when the we refuse to obey God. Sometimes that involves leaving what is safe or familiar and like Abraham taking a journey into the unknown.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool,
To weep is to risk being called sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk showing your true self.
To place your ideas and your dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naive.
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure

But risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love.
Chained by his certitude, he is a slave; he has forfeited his freedom.
Only the person who risks is truly free.