For Him Who Has Ears!

Anthony Frazier (07/24/2011 12:41)

/>I attended college on an athletic scholarship. I had attended Catholic schools for all of my early life, but I would not consider myself a Christian.

The dorm room was connected with another room through a shared bathroom. During the day when I’d come back to my room, I’d hear this music beautiful piano music playing. I eventually asked my next door roommates about it and he told me let me borrow it. It was Keith Green’s For him who has ears.
Who was this busy haired piano player? I wanted to know more about the music
For months I would borrow the album and return it at the end of the day. It got the point that the student gave me the album.
I was hooked on the music because I was interested in playing the piano also. I didn’t have formal training but thought that I could take some classes at SIU. Long story short… I got kicked out of my only piano music class.

But I continued to listen to the songs and began to play them myself. I found myself daydreaming about the music during class and basketball practice. Of course I couldn’t tell anyone about this. Well things got worse. The more I listened to the music the more the words jumped out at me.. I then found myself singing the word, but not believing. Then one I got hooked on the songs “Your Love broke through and Because of You” I began to question how could this man be so convinced in the man Jesus Christ. How could he be bananas for Jesus Christ? Was this part of a gimmick?

I found myself wanting to know more about Keith as I listened and sing his music. And I don’t know when this happened but I decided that I had to find out for myself how could this man believe so strongly in Jesus Christ. I was singing the words, but didn’t feel that commitment. As the days went on… I became obsessed with this question but how was I to find out … This was long before the internet, facebook and much of social networking we have today.
The other side of this, is that I couldn’t tell anyone.. I believe that none of my friends would understand what I was going through, so I kept it to myself.

Then one day, while I was playing the piano at the schools HUB, I looked up and on the wall was a posting that I couldn’t believe.
It stated that Keith Green was coming to SIU. I said “What! Inside my head. I took the posting down and began a month long countdown. I was determined to confront this man, there was no way, he believed what he was singing. No way!

The days drug on and things seemed surreal to me. Why was I obsessed with this? What did it matter? Why was I still listening to the Album everyday and learning all the words. I would listen to the music and stare at the album cover. Why was he smiling? Again, I told know one… It was like I had a secret life and it was staring to drive me crazy.
2 Days and Keith was to arrive. I had figured out what to tell my friends and there were nights that I couldn’t even sleep thinking about all this.
Day of, friends asked me to go with them to the usual parties. I said no, I have a few things to do. They asked what? I quickly changed the subject and eventually they let it go.

As this point, I knew every song and lyric on the Album. I was ready to confront Keith. Interestingly, I wasn’t that interested in going to the concert per se, but more interested in confronting him on his beliefs. I found that strange also.
Ok, I’m at the facility, I go in, and notice the 8 foot black grand piano; microphones rounding out the top of it.

A few folks were standing about, setting up chair, sweeping floors and stuff like that. I looked to the right of me and a man who looked like Keith was standing there. 2 feet away, He was dressed in country overalls with tennis shoes, checkered shirt and bushy hair. I can still see the colors of his clothing. He looked like Keith I wasn’t sure. He was probably a relative.

So I turned my eyes on the piano and the big black drape that was the makeshift backdrop. I knew Keith was there…looking over his music, talking with folks, waiting to make a big entrance. The other folks seemed more interested more in chairs, and organizing and helping and greeting folks coming in.

I had get to Keith before the concert started. My heart was pounding and I was getting a slight headache. I had to get to him before the concert started. I moved toward the front trying to look behind, but I couldn’t see anything. I had to make a move, I was frozen. What was going on with me? This was my only chance, just walk back there and confront him, I said. But I couldn’t. I looked around and the room was filling up.

Then the light went dim, and my heart dropped. I knew that I would never get my chance to ask Keith anything. Then, I looked to my right and the guy who has been helping setup with the chairs and sweep the floors walked past me and stat down at the piano.

It was like time stood still. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Keith was behind the curtain working on his music. He was out front the whole time being a servant. As I’m writing them, my eyes fill with tears as that moment so long ago seems like it was yesterday.
I was stunned and realized the error in my thinking. I got my questions answered without uttering a word. I know now that Jesus heard me, because I told know one else and I saw in the 20minutes of being in Keith presence what being a Christian is all about.
At this point I don’t remember much else… but I did say hello and shake Melody’s hand.
I had been thinking with my head and not my heart. When I got back to my room I put on your love broke through and for the first time, I felt what he was singing about.

Over the years I’ve shared Keith music without hesitation. But as I said earlier, few know about the story I just shared with you.
As a worship leader I sing and share Keith Music and words. My life has changed though that brief meeting so long ago. “And know I see that the answers were as easy as just asking you in!” I got my question about faith and being a servant without speaking a word. God knew, and it’s taken me years to trust that fact.