Music Monday

At CCL, we are going through a series on the book of Ecclesiastes. Yesterday's sermon included the passage about a time to be born, a time to die, etc. As Pastor Pete alluded to, it probably reminds you of the song made famous by the Birds in the 1960's. I've heard of the song and know the words, but it is definitely not of my generation but almost 15 years too early. Sorry for all my older friends out there. Just think, some day some young whipper snapper will make some allusion that I'm old by the type of music I listen to. :-)

So today I thought I would look for it and see what it's about. I found an informative link here at Wikipedia. The song was written word for word from the KJV version of the Bible. Given the time period it was recorded in, it became famous as a song for world peace. Apparently, the writer of the song, Pete Seeger, only added one line at the end about it not being too late for world peace. Since then, it has been covered by artists in many different music genres.

Knowing some of this background of the song, it made me appreciate and understand Pete's comments about the poem. He spoke about how the author wrote the poem about all the different seasons in life. Then Pete spoke about this poem is not about what we are supposed to do in life, but that these seasons are governed by God and that he does all things so that men may revere Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14). Pete also spoke that our response to these seasons that God sovereignly places in our lives, is to be patient and to be submissive. Another statement that I wrote in my notes from the message was how Pete described that God does all things for men to revere (or fear) Him, not so that people may learn how to work the system by pushing buttons or pulling strings. I put a star by this statement because I know I don't revere God in ALL things, only in some things. And I think for me, I come to think of God in terms of Provider, Comforter, Teacher, Sovereign, and Father, and all of these things are true, but he only is these things for me to live and work and relate with others, not for me to revere and fear Him as God, Creator and Sovereign over all.

"I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. " Ecclesiastes 3:14

Perhaps that line could be turned into a song?

Toodles,