Does a song ever get stuck in your head?
Psychologists call it “Involuntary Musical Imagery.” A few days ago a quote reminded me of an old gospel-country song called LONESOME VALLEY. Since then I’ve had the first couple of verses on “involuntary mental repeat.”
You gotta walk that lonesome valley
And you gotta walk, walk it by yourself
Nobody else can walk it for you
You gotta walk, walk it by yourself.Jesus walked this lonesome valley
And he had to walk it by Himself
Nobody else could walk it for Him
He had to walk, walk it by Himself.
Great message, I suppose, reminding us that the day always comes when we must face the consequences of our choices. I suppose I shouldn’t over-think song lyrics, but it’s hard to avoid when they roll through my brain hour after hour. So as I try in vain to erase George Jones’ voice, I also reach a conclusion.
Nice song. Bad theology.
Verse 2 gets it right. Jesus chose to accept my sin, and its consequences. As a result, His eternal community was broken and He endured an awful separation from God. Indeed, He had to walk by Himself.
However, there’s Good News. Jesus’ horrific estrangement from God somehow built a bridge for me across a gap I could never cover on my own. I don’t know how that works, but here’s the best part.
Jesus promises to walk with me. Always, even to the end of the age.
So the lyrics got it wrong. I don’t have to walk that lonesome valley by myself.
Jesus already walked it for me.