I just want to celebrate another day of livin' I just want to celebrate another day of life I put my faith in the people But the people let me down So I turned the other WAY (cool way to change the meaning)
And I carry on, anyhow
That's why I'm telling you
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living, yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of life
I was sitting in Starbucks visiting with a very cool teenage kid who's been free of heroin for a few months (he inspired me so much) and we're just talking about the difficult questions about God and how Religion messes you up. (Religion is about following rules and teachings - Jesus says "come walk with me and follow my way".) I shared with him a story I really like in which Paul (the biggest writer in the New Testament) is waiting for his bus and ends up talking with the greatest philosophers of the day (Mars Hill Greek guys). He actually compliments them for their spiritual agnostic search (a statue to the unknown god) and then he makes this huge claim about God: “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us."
Wow, God uses Rare Earth to stimulate the Search gene that He created in us - God really wants to be everyone's friend! God will even take evil and turn it upside down and use it to draw us close to Him. God is not far away - in fact God's real close to YOU right now. God's not like a stalker - using fear and control to try and use you - God waits for you . . . and waits, and while He's waiting he quietly hums, to each of us, in a Bob Marley sort of way: "Why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends?" (Smash Mouth's remake of Bob - or The original)
Here's the absolutely best thing to celebrate: "In HIM we LIVE, MOVE, and EXIST!" God gives us a song that no one can stop from being sung, "I want to be your friend, I want to be your friend."
2 comments:
Interesting insight into the scientific implications of how we hear, perceive, and process even the tiniest of sound particles, although you lost me a bit there with the physics. But then I realized you were just summarizing the plot of "Horton Hears a Who" and I was able to nod my head with satisfied understanding. Ah yes, Dr. Suess, the explanation to all our perplexing scientific dilemmas.
Although I hated that song at the time, I think your use of War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" can be tied to your Proverbs studies of last month. Proverbs 18:24 states that "A man who would have friends must first show himself to be friendly" (CAM version). How do we become friends? We show that we are willing to be a friend to others, "to show ourselves friendly". Beyond the sharing, laughing, and learning, sometimes that means physically putting yourself completely on the line during tough times for your friend. Standing shoulder to shoulder in the belly of the beast. Other times it may be as simple as a caring and sympathetic ear that is always just a phone call (or email) away. But friendship is something that must be maintained or it becomes the lawn choked out by weeds, moss, and huge ugly holes dug by the neighbors dog. "Why can't we be friends?" We can, as long as we are willing to be friendly ourselves and recognize that true friendship is one of the greatest gifts of all.
See Bruce, you've made another great lesson out of something as hideous as that War song (although I did really like their renditions of "Cisco Kid" and "Lowrider"). Also, my best wishes are with the recovering person you mentioned and all the rest of the people you are counseling and ministering with. It may be a cliche', but in this case it is the truth, you ARE doing the Lord's business. And apparently business is good...
Imagine Joe Cocker singing it!
"I get by with a little help from my friend Charles!"
Bruce
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