When God Breaks Through The Art

System Of A Down has occupied a spot in my workout playlist for a long time. Their album Toxicity came out in 2001, when I was in college, and went triple platinum by the end of 2002. Their heavy metal music with driving guitars and forceful vocals gives me the perfect shot of adrenaline when I’m a long run or lifting weights.

Even though their songs have been in my ears for almost two decades, I sadly never stopped to learn more about them. That is until Youtube bubbled up a video about how the song Chop Suey was made.

While in the studio, Serj struggled to find the lyrics to complete the track. Producer, Rick Rubin, had the idea to take a break. He told Serj to go into his personal library and open any book to see if someone’s words could inspire him. It just so happens that he stumbled upon the words Jesus spoke on the cross, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” And the song was complete.

“The universe wrote those lyrics.”

There are two things that I find beautiful about this story. First, The Creator was right there in the moment of need when an artist in his creation needed help. God answered Serj’s silent, creative cries for help in a way that only God could. With Jesus’s words intermingling with Serj’s lyrics, the song took on more depth and meaning than Serj’s words could ever have on their own.

The second thing that I find beautiful about this story is that Chop Suey started as a straightforward rock song and became a prayer. A prayer that was sung not only by the band but echoed by millions of people. It’s an honest, raw prayer; why have you forsaken me? A feeling all of us experience at certain times in our lives when we look around and only see brokenness. But in that place of brokenness, God answers, “I haven’t forsaken you. I’m here with you and always will be.”