Madonna: "Queen of Rock?"

Madonna was asked to sing for the Super Bowl, but the “Queen of Rock” failed to show up; instead we were stuck with an average 21^st century performance surrounded by flashy entertainment.

At 53 years old Madonna is stilling trying to dance with the 20 year olds.  

This year’s Super Bowl half-time show was a stunning example Madonna’s progression from her glory days.  Far from the rebel who commanded the stage in the 80’s, this twenty-first century performance was void of the passion and emotion she was so well known for.

As a rock legend we expected her to give a performance for the ages. After all she is the role model for so many, it is from people like her that today’s singers learn and grow.

Her voice, often too perfect to be anything but lip-synced, lacked the emotion she portrayed in her earlier days. Risk was not on the table for this night, therefore we were not left with anything extremely controversial to critique, nor were we given anything so amazing so as to leave our mouths agape with amazement.   

The Salt Lake Tribune stated, “[Madonna’s] 12-minute extravaganza felt uncharacteristically tentative for a superstar known for breaking down barriers to get her way.”

Her performance was so ordinary that we were forced instead to watch her supporting acts to find entertainment. LMFAO’s two minute spectacle of “Party Rock Anthem” and “I’m Sexy and I know It” helped capture our attention after the first five minutes of simply watching Madonna prance around as an Egyptian “queen” while performing “Vogue”.

M.I.A. gave some vocal variety with their rap and even provided some controversy for people to talk about with her middle finger gesture to the camera.  But even this Madonna rejected after the show, telling Ryan Seacreast in an interview she wasn’t happy about it.

The final song sequence “Like A Prayer”, with supporting singer Cee Lo Green, is a blanket song to all religions, but stopped short on the basic beliefs most can agree on. Touching our hearts but failing to reach into our souls. 

The Super Bowl’s new orientation to a more family friendly show has stirred away from mishaps like the Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” of 2004, but also served to take away the parts of Madonna’s performance that blow our hair back.

“Madonna succeeded in building a massive display, but it felt a bit hollow,” says the Tribune. Pulling of a halftime show is a massive responsibility but her 80’s counterparts Prince and Bruce Springsteen didn’t seem to have a problem with it in recent years.

While some may make excuses for her because of her age, this should not play a factor in the level of her performance because she did not look a day over 25. Making her performance look more and more like a modern rock ensemble than that of a rock legend.

In the end it is evident that Madonna’s show did little more than give us something to tap our feet to. But if we were to make a comparison for the night then the sad truth is that Clint Eastwood’s Chrysler commercial made more of an emotional impact than Madonna’s “World Peace” sign to end her remix.

Praying in the New Year

"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”   ~ Matthew 18:20

2012. This New Year dawned with the hum of praying voices that filled the air.  There were about 50 of us and we all sat in groups of 5 or 10. The steady chorus of voices resounded through the room and God's presence was felt by all.  We were praying in the New Year; thankful for the old and anticipating the changes yet to come.

There is no doubt that changes will occur, and with an election coming up those changes are bound to be exponential. With the national debt crisis looming over our heads we hope the change will be for the better. And with the Euro threatening to fail at any moment in Europe we fear for the world at large. In this world of uncertainty what can we expect from this New Year?

So we prayed, and we keep on praying. We prayed for our president, for God to work in his heart and show him wisdom. We prayed for our government and its many other leaders. We prayed for peace in the Middle East, and we prayed for peace in our own homes. We prayed for debt throughout the world, and we prayed for debt throughout America.  We prayed and prayed and prayed.

When it comes down to it what is there left for us to do but pray? Our actions will come to nothing if they are not first decided on through prayer. So what better way to start this New Year than with the assurance of prayer?

The Psalms are riddled with the prayers of David during good times and bad. Jesus's prayer of petition was raised to God during his most desperate hour, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Paul speaks often throughout his many letters of the importance of prayer, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:8). The soldier on the battlefield cries out to God in his time of need, and the family left behind prayers for their family to be made whole again. Some pray who do not even know God; others pray who have known him their whole lives. In the end prayer is used by many when all other hope is lost, when the only option left is to plead for the impossible.

We accept that this year of 2012 will bring with it trials and seemingly unsurpassable obstacles. But before these trials even have time to gain a foothold in this precious New Year which God has given us, we have prayed for God's strength to overcome them. We have started this year in the best way we know how and we must keep on praying because that is one of the greatest weapons we have in this life.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."     ~ Philippians 4:6