Asleep In The Light
Keith Green Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do you see? Do you see?
All the people sinking down?
Don't you care? Don't you care?
Are you gonna let them drown?
How can you be so numb?
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done
"Oh, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord"
You know, it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But, He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in

Oh, can't you see it's such sin?
'Cause 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
You've left Him out on the streets

Open up, open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay?
God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah, you run
He's told you to speak but you keep holding it in

Oh, can't you see it's such sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
'Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed?
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come?
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done
Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done

Come away, come away
Come away with me, my love
Come away from this mess
Come away with me, my lov
Come away from this mess
Come away with me, my love




Come away, come away, oh
Come away with me, my love

Overall Meaning

Keith Green's song "Asleep in the Light" is a powerful message to the church, challenging them to wake up and see the need of the world around them. The opening lines ask the listener if they can see all the people sinking down, and if they even care. The urgent tone is emphasized by the repetition of the questions, as if pleading for a response. Keith then points out the hypocrisy of those who claim to follow Jesus but are too comfortable and apathetic to help those in need. He contrasts this with the image of Jesus, who wept and bled for humanity's needs.


The song then takes an even more pointed turn, as Keith calls out the church for turning away those in need, and how the world is sleeping in darkness because the church is "asleep in the light." This phrase is a powerful critique of the church's failure to engage with the world, to actively reach out and help those in need. He compares this to the story of Jonah, who was called by God to preach to Nineveh but ran away. Keith says that God is calling us to speak up, but we keep holding it in.


The final section of the song is a plea to come away with Jesus, to escape the mess of our apathy and inaction. It's a call to repentance and action, to recognize our failings and to turn towards Jesus and follow his example of sacrificial love and compassion.


Overall, "Asleep in the Light" is a powerful and prophetic song that challenges us to examine our own lives and actions, and to ask ourselves if we're truly living out the gospel message of love and justice.


Line by Line Meaning

Do you see? Do you see?
Do you notice the countless people struggling and sinking around you, in desperate need of God's love and salvation?


Don't you care? Don't you care?
Does it not break your heart to see them drowning without hope and with no one to save them?


Are you gonna let them drown?
Will you stand by idly and allow these people to suffer and perish while you remain indifferent and inactive?


How can you be so numb?
How can you be so indifferent and apathetic to the plight of those in need?


Not to care if they come
To be unbothered by the fate of those seeking help and salvation.


You close your eyes and pretend the job's done
To rid yourself of the plight of others by refusing to engage with their struggles or pretending to have done enough to help them.


"Oh, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord"
A plea to be blessed while showing no concern for the pain and suffering of others.


No one aches, no one hurts
No one seems to feel the pain or suffering of those around them.


No one even sheds one tear
The struggles of others seem to never have any emotional impact on anyone.


But, He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
Jesus feels the pain and anguish of those in need as if it were His own.


And He cares for your needs
God's love and compassion extend to all people in need, regardless of their social status or background.


And you just lay back and keep soaking it in
While God's love and compassion are endless, you do nothing but absorb it selfishly without ever seeking to share it with others.


Oh, can't you see it's such sin?
It is a grievous sin to refuse to engage with or help those in need, especially with the knowledge of God's love and compassion.


'Cause He brings people to your door
God brings people in need into your life, offering you countless opportunities to help and share His love.


And you turn them away
Despite these opportunities, you refuse to engage with those in need or share God's love with them.


As you smile and say "God bless you, be at peace"
Your offer of blessings and peace is empty and meaningless to those in need, as it is not backed up by any tangible actions or efforts to help them.


And all Heaven just weeps
The angels and saints in heaven mourn the lost opportunities to help and save those in need.


'Cause Jesus came to your door
Jesus came to you in the form of those in need, and you missed the chance to engage with Him and help Him.


You've left Him out on the streets
By refusing to help those in need, you have also rejected Jesus and left Him abandoned and alone.


Open up, open up
It is time to open your heart and mind to the plight of those in need and commit to helping them.


And give yourself away
To truly help others, you must be willing to sacrifice your own comfort and convenience, giving of yourself completely.


You see the need, you hear the cries
You recognize the desperation and pain of those in need and are aware of the urgent need to help them.


So how can you delay?
There is no time to waste, as every moment you delay in helping those in need only means more suffering and pain for them.


God's calling and you're the one
God has chosen and called you specifically to help those in need and share His love and salvation with them.


But like Jonah, you run
Like the prophet Jonah, you flee from God's calling and avoid your responsibility to help those in need.


He's told you to speak but you keep holding it in
God has commanded you to share His love and salvation with others, but you continually refuse to do so or keep it to yourself.


The world is sleeping in the dark
Many people in the world are lost and unaware of God's love and salvation, living in spiritual darkness and hopelessness.


That the church just can't fight
The church is failing to engage with those in need or share God's love and compassion with them, becoming ineffective in the face of such great need.


'Cause it's asleep in the light
The church is comfortable and complacent, resting in its own spiritual salvation and failing to help those in need.


How can you be so dead
How can you claim to be alive spiritually while refusing to acknowledge the desperate needs of those around you?


When you've been so well fed?
God's love and compassion are endless and abundant, and it is a sin to selfishly keep it to oneself without sharing it with others.


Jesus rose from the grave
Jesus died and rose again to give us eternal life and offer salvation to all people regardless of their past sins or mistakes.


And you, you can't even get out of bed
Despite the resurrection and the promise of eternal life, you refuse to engage with those in need or leave your comfort zone to help others.


Come on, get out of your bed
It is time to wake up from your spiritual slumber and take action to help those in need and share God's love with them.


Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done
It is a sin to close your eyes to the plight of those in need and pretend that you have done enough to help them when there is still so much more to be done.


Come away, come away
It is time to turn away from selfishness and apathy and move towards a path of compassion, love, and service to others.


Come away with me, my love
God offers a path of love and service to others that leads to eternal life and spiritual fulfillment.


Come away from this mess
It is time to leave behind the selfishness and apathy of the world and move towards a life of love, compassion, and service to others.




Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Keith Gordon Green

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

tony shumway

Ephesians
Chapter 4
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.



All comments from YouTube:

Roger Aubrey

Prophetic. Today this song is as relevant as when Keith first brought it to the church. Bless me, Bless me; no one aches no one hurts, no one sheds a tear.

objectivitycave11

i do ... still not enough.. i don't have any money, i can't help nobody in that way .. this is a great song though, perhaps the best Christ song ever made

Deirdre Morris

@objectivitycave11 Money doesnt always help people.

Jeph

@objectivitycave11 me neither, but that's ok, we can give our lives to serve God and others. You know what, tho? Being poor causes us to trust Him more. People with money don't get this 'privilege'

Jeph

@Deirdre Morris true, but it would sure help me out right about now!😉 God is faithful, and provides day-by-day

Coopertown78

Indeed! When you speak the true words of God, they also are just as relevant as they were 2000, and even 6000 years ago!💪☝️🙏🏻👍💪

2 More Replies...

Mark R Reneau

This is the GREATEST christian song to Christians of all time.

CELESTINE

I agree. Most powerful ever!

Phillip E Schwab

This song keeps me out of my comfort zone of complacency. "Lord, Lord!" I did feed you when you were hungry, clothed you when you were naked... Thank you Lord for continualy reminding me I'm simply passing through this world trying to make the most impact before I reach my eternal home.

Doug R

"cause he brings people to your door and you turn them away as you smile and say God bless you be at peace..."
Reminds me of when an assistant pastor who was committing adultery at the time kicked me out of his church and said "God bless you" as I was leaving.

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