Music Monday: “Make Heaven Crowded” by Cole Swindell
By: Debbie Waltz
As a preface to this post, I feel compelled to offer an explanation. To begin with, country music isn’t something I usually listen to, nor is it typically the theme for my Music Monday blog post. When I first heard this song on my niece’s Facebook story, I added it to my Music Monday list for a future blog entry. While Swindell’s idea of “making heaven crowded” by spreading the good news widely and offering everyone an opportunity to respond is central to God’s message, I’m not trivializing someone’s choice to follow Jesus. It is just that—a choice. We’ve explored in previous blog posts how our Christian faith transcends being merely a religion, growing into a relationship that can and ought to influence every part of our existence.
In 2 Corinthians, we observe this transformation throughout Paul’s testimony, moving from persecuting Christians to embracing the gospel. In the following chapters, we explore how Paul assisted the Corinthian congregation in addressing their internal conflicts, covering aspects like the way to “discipline” members and their reintegration into the church following resolution. Even though Paul admits that one can have a superficial knowledge of God, he contends that this is not what ultimately leads to salvation. As Paul writes in chapter 5, “So we stopped evaluating things from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” (5:16 NLT)
Paul indicates earlier in the text that this “change” in viewpoint should inspire us to spread the message of the Gospel. We have experienced the power of God. From a place of gratitude, it’s our responsibility to share this with everyone we know whenever we can. He writes in II Corinthians 5:19, “For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them and he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we say, ‘come back to God'”
This passage serves as a reminder of God’s ability to transform our lives. How does it happen?
- Being reborn spiritually (2 Corinthians 5: 17)
- Having a new identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 17)
- Understanding that God possesses our hearts. We have become his children. That’s a guarantee! (Verses 11- 15)
While Swindell encourages listeners to “Make Heaven Crowded,” I question whether he truly comprehends the implications of his request. Has he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and does he wish to spread that knowledge to others? I can’t say. Only God knows. I can tell you this. Even though the transformation of our lives by God is a profound and significant event, it is crucial to understand that sustaining this newfound state requires persistent and ongoing dedication.