“My eyes are dry; my faith is old. My heart is hard; my prayers are cold. And I know how I ought to be alive to You and dead to me.” 

Raw and honest words from singer-songwriter Keith Green, who after searching his heart realized he was taking God’s grace for granted. Lamentations 3:22–23 tells us God’s mercies are new every morning and it releases us from the need to strive to earn God’s love and acceptance. It does not however absolve us from intentionally seeking a closer relationship with Him. After years of living as a Christian, Keith wrote this song because he realized it’s easy to wander away from his relationship with God. 

Asleep in the Light is another song he wrote. The words “He brings people to your door and you turn them away as you smile and say ‘God bless you, be at peace’ And all Heaven just weeps, cause Jesus came to your door and you’ve left Him out on the streets,” give us a directive of what we as Christians should be doing as we go about our day — focusing on others. 

At the age of 28, four short years after he wrote these songs, Keith died in a small plane crash and two of his children died with him. He didn’t know he was going to die that day. His life of ministry was so much to live for. Why God took him so soon we will never know.

Keith’s songs are lessons for all of us. A relationship only works if we are intentionally seeking it. And if you have a heart for God, ministry will be a part of it much in the same way it was for Keith. We know God is continuously seeking us, and He’s waiting for us to do the same.