15 Most Personal Songs (a musical apologetic) -- #10 Steve Taylor, "The Finish Line"

As a child of the 70s and 80s, I didn't have the luxury of computer games and social media to shape my thoughts. Instead, a lot of it came from the music I listened to. 

These are the top fifteen songs that helped to make me who I am and help keep me on track as a genuine person in this human experience. #STformativesongs

#10 - The Finish Line by Steve Taylor

Yes, this is another from CCM, but the reason it's so important to me is that it feels a lot more Flannery O'Conner than Billy Graham. This song knocks all the prestige and pride out of being a person of faith and shows life as tough and hard and kicking you when you're down just like it is for everyone, person of faith or not. And it says that ultimately it's all worth it. (Religiously, not because of anything I did, but because of something and someone imputed.) 

==================

Once upon an average morn

An average boy was born for the second time

Prone upon the altar there

He whispered up the prayer he'd kept hid inside

The vision came

He saw the odds

A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel

"These will vie to take your place, but Father,

by your grace I wil never kneel"

And I saw you, upright and proud

And I saw you wave to the crowd

And I saw you laughing out loud at the Philistines

And I saw you brush away rocks

And I saw you pull up your socks

And I saw you out of the blocks

For the finish line

Darkness falls

The devil stirs

And as your vision blurs you start stumbling

The heart is weak

The will is gone

And every strong conviction comes tumbling down

Malice rains

The acid guile is sucking at your shoes while the mud is fresh

It floods the trail

It bleeds you dry

As every little god buys its pound of flesh

And I saw you licking your wounds

And I saw you weave your cocoons

And I saw you changing your tunes for the party line

And I saw you welsh on old debts

I saw you and your comrades bum cigarettes

And you hemmed and you hawed

And you hedged all your bets

Waiting for a sign

Let's wash our hands as we throw little fits

Let's all wash our hands as we curse hypocrites

We're locked in the washroom turning old tricks

Deaf

And joyless

And full of it

The vision came

He saw the odds

A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel

"These have tried to take your place, but Father,

by your grace I will never kneel

I will never kneel..."

Off in the distance

Bloodied but wise

As you squint with the light of the truth in your eyes

And I saw you

Both hands were raised

And I saw your lips move in praise

And I saw you steady your gaze

For the finish line

Every idol like dust

A word scattered them all

And I rose to my feet when you scaled the last wall

And I gasped

When I saw you fall

In his arms

At the finish line