I’ve been nominally conscious of Kacey Musgraves due to her catchy pop-infused nation tunes, perceptive lyrics, and greater than a handful of memorable duets with the likes of Leon Bridges and Willie Nelson. Her newest album, 2024’s Deeper Nicely, is a response to non-public heartache; musically talking, the album’s discovered her in a ruminative house once more. Since all of us undergo difficulties in life, the private nature of its fourteen songs is common and holds pertinence for all of us.
After listening to “The Architect,” although, I used to be instantly struck by the vanity wrapped up throughout the light ballad. Take into account the primary and second stanzas:
Even one thing as small as an apple
It’s easy and one way or the other complicated
Candy and divine, the right design
Can I converse to the architect?
And there’s a canyon that cuts by means of the desert
Did it get there due to a flood?
Was it devised, or had been you shocked
Once you noticed how grand it was?
The primary stanza’s implications are troublesome to disregard. The apple imagery conjures up the forbidden fruit on the tree of data of excellent and evil in Genesis. And but, fruit is one thing luscious and tactile that’s cultivated and offers us sustenance. It’s a marvel of development, a synthesis of solar, water, soil, and human toil.
Musgraves then strikes from one thing sufficiently small to slot in the human hand to the huge grandeur of the canyons. Though her lyrics evenly contact on antediluvian occasions and the world’s formation, she finally speaks to the architect out of marvel. That is Musgraves’ major posture: she begins with awe somewhat than skepticism.
Later within the track, Musgraves’ lyrics progress from the great thing about pure creation to contemplating human look:
Typically I look within the mirror
And need I may make a request
Might I pray it away? Am I shapeable clay?
Or is that this pretty much as good because it will get?
That is Musgraves’ major posture: she begins with awe somewhat than skepticism.
These traces learn as a counterpoint to the theology of the imago dei. That’s, if we’re made within the picture of a loving God, then that may radically form how we view ourselves (and others) regardless of our imperfections. Even so, inner monologues of self-loathing and private criticism can nonetheless rapidly latch onto our perceived flaws.
In his e-book Digital Liturgies, Samuel James discusses a “theology of embodiment” intently tied to the imago dei. We’re not accidents or errors. And but within the up to date world, we’re usually obsessive about attaining a physique that itself is formed after an ever-unattainable preferrred self. Disgrace can then push us to try to distance ourselves from our bodily shortcomings. James makes the connection that this undercurrent of disgrace has run by means of the historical past of humanity since Adam and Eve’s fall after they had been disrobed and grew ashamed of their nakedness. Their sin made them abhor their true selves.
“The Architect”’s ultimate moments function a collection of rhetorical questions:
Does it occur by probability? Is all of it happenstance?
Do we’ve any say on this mess?
Is it too late to make some more room?
Can I converse to the architect?
This life that we make, is it random or destiny?
Can I converse to the architect?
Is there an architect?
Typically we ask such questions with doubt though we already suppose we all know the reply. These questions may even be accusatory. Different occasions, there’s an trustworthy curiosity effervescent up; we genuinely need to know the solutions. Musgraves’ questions discover her transferring by means of moments of confusion within the face of trials after which inching towards an inkling of doubt. The delicate shift within the ultimate line is simply sufficient and such a pointed strategy to finish the track with the underlying query posed to the listener.
Doing a charitable evaluation, “The Architect” shouldn’t be an out-and-out rejection, nevertheless it does reside within the dissonance between a lovely world and one nonetheless fraught with ache and ambiguity. Musgraves doesn’t reply her questions, however generally, the perfect artistic endeavors ask extra questions than they reply. They turn out to be a jumping-off level for deeper consideration.
To An Unknown God
Listening to “The Architect” jogs my memory of the Apostle Paul within the e-book of Acts when he speaks to the Greeks about their altar to the unknown god. Like Musgraves, these individuals know one thing’s there, however they’re nonetheless looking out and maybe ready to obtain the reply to their questions. Paul says:
Males of Athens, I understand that in each method you’re very spiritual. For as I handed alongside and noticed the objects of your worship, I discovered additionally an altar with this inscription: “To the unknown god.” What subsequently you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and every little thing in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t reside in temples made by man, neither is he served by human arms, as if he wanted something, since he himself provides to all mankind life and breath and every little thing. And he created from one man each nation of mankind to reside on all of the face of the earth, having decided allotted durations and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they need to search God, and maybe really feel their method towards him and discover him. But he’s really not removed from every considered one of us.
Paul observes this void of their lives and proceeds to provide them excellent news. And he reaches again, to not the apple and the autumn in Genesis 3 and even the flood, however somewhat, to God’s covenant with Adam, the one man who was in good communion with the creator God. And in his wealthy love for us, he gave us the great thing about his creation and customary grace to all individuals so we would search after him.
In a tradition which may deem itself religious however not spiritual, there’s nonetheless a craving for which means and understanding just like the ancients felt.
In a tradition which may deem itself religious however not spiritual, there’s nonetheless a craving for which means and understanding just like the ancients felt. To paraphrase Augustine, we’re stressed till we discover our relaxation in him. This hasn’t modified. And in an more and more pluralistic society, the place they get disenchanted with public establishments and arranged faith, individuals must be reintroduced to a God who’s the architect of every little thing round them.
Whether or not we understand it or not, we’re all on the lookout for that non-public relationship. All of us need which means and function that recommend we matter and are deeply beloved. The rest, together with cynicism or apathy, feels disingenuous to the existential nature of the human expertise. Thus, we frequently want music and artwork to beg the query, which is a starting although we nonetheless require one thing extra. As a result of not solely is God not distant from us, he’s neither silent nor absent.
As Paul says to the Romans, “For his invisible attributes, specifically, his everlasting energy and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever because the creation of the world within the issues which were made. So they’re with out excuse” (Romans 1:20). If that is true, then, like Musgraves, we’re all conscious of God’s presence implicitly by the sheer breadth and magnitude of his creation. It appears to name for us to reply indirectly—to provide you with a proof for these elementary questions.
The Architect and The Cornerstone
For some, deism is a logical foundational concept as a result of it posits that there’s a creator who, like a clockmaker or architect, made this lovely world with all its intricacies after which stepped away to allow us to have at it for higher or worse. How else does somebody clarify messy human beings and the tumultuous components of life if God is meant to be loving and omnipotent? Deism is a strategy to go midway, acknowledging some drive on the world whereas nonetheless sustaining a grip on our lives and destinies no matter how tenuous it winds up being.
Nevertheless, this can’t be the top. It won’t suffice.
Persevering with Musgraves’ metaphor, if God is each architect and loving heavenly father, then you may have the start of one thing. As a result of in the event you do consider that the God of the universe despatched his good son Jesus to die for us, then you may have a doable reply to Musgraves’ query that’s much more comforting. It includes God coming down within the type of an ideal human being who gave his life on behalf of those that didn’t deserve it—these ridden with guilt and disgrace over their very imperfections.
Persevering with Musgraves’ metaphor, if God is each architect and loving heavenly father, then you may have the start of one thing.
At this level, it’s inconceivable to eliminate the metaphor that’s integral to the track. Jesus Christ was positioned because the cornerstone of all creation; he was foundational to every little thing and crucial to construction our lives round. In different phrases, he’s not only a nice-to-have or vaguely benevolent entity in our lives; he’s important. With out him, every little thing we attempt to construct for ourselves will come crashing down and fail us. If we attempt to engineer our personal lives, then we’ll ultimately be crushed when the partitions come tumbling down. Jesus Christ, nonetheless, willfully took that onus upon himself in order that we’d not need to.
We can not exist with an architect or deity on the fringes. It sounds good if we need to run issues, and but historical past—and even simply wanting within the mirror—tells us that we’re damaged. We require a desirous God overflowing in all features of our lives, enveloping us together with his grace by means of the ability of his Spirit. As a result of when God seems at our reflection, he doesn’t see ugliness; he sees a beloved individual with whom he’s well-pleased, due to Christ. We’re his creatures and picture bearers, and vessels of magnificence.
I do not know the place Musgraves pulled her inspiration from, however so usually the humanities give rise to many considerate and delightful bits of expression. They put voice, music, and rhyme to essentially the most essential questions that we grapple with as human beings. I might subsequently encourage her that the reply to her questions is a hearty affirmative. There may be an architect, one that’s not distant however somewhat, needs to be in relationship with each considered one of his creatures.
I subsequently pray that she’s drawn to the loving private creator who despatched his solely son to be the cornerstone of our lives, not as a passive observer however as an energetic participant within the human narrative. He’s a God who designed every little thing and holds all issues in his arms. He’s our architect and he loves us. Let that be the life-giving reality drawing us nearer to him.