This weeks Kitchen Table – discusses James Taylor’s The Secret of Life…
The Kitchen Table 30 – The Clock of the World
The Blog of David Robertson
The Blog of David Robertson
This weeks Kitchen Table – discusses James Taylor’s The Secret of Life…
The Kitchen Table 30 – The Clock of the World
Christianity has the ultimate definition of love? Really? What is it?
Christ dying on the cross – 1 Corinthians 13
How on earth is a brutal crucifixion the ultimate definition of love, for goodness sake?
Because it is the ultimate self-giving and sacrifice – God so loved the world that he gave his only son.
What in Hades has this got to do with love?
If he is omnipotent why on earth did he have to be crucified?
And what did it actually achieve?
If you are going to show you actually know your stuff, you’ll have to do a bit better at explaining than a paraphrased theological pat answer from gJohn, I’m afraid.
And please don’t respond by insulting me about me not understanding.
What do you think omnipotence means? What it actually achieved was the forgiveness of sins, justice and the opportunity for new life for all who believe..
My dear brother, I wonder why you chose that particular James Taylor song lyric and if it was to mock it. What is it that you are fond of saying about a text without a context being a pretext?
His song “Fire and Rain” has the following lyric:
Just yesterday mornin’, they let me know you were gone
Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you…
Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus?
You’ve got to help me make a stand
You’ve just got to see me through another day
My body’s aching and my time is at hand
And I won’t make it any other way
So this being on learning of the death of his girlfriend in the US by way of suicide while he was recording in Abbey Road studios in London and he also has suffered from depression and had heroin addiction. It seems there is a honest desperate cry to Jesus in the song and him not being able to make it through what he is going though with grieving the loss of his girlfriend without Jesus. Somewhat different to the “laid back hippie” you are caricaturing him as.
Meaningless is something that as you know is the cry in Ecclesiastes without God and that is counted as wisdom.
I’m not entirely convinced “in James Taylors world you just slide into oblivion” as is your claim. Obviously there is a reference to the divine in the lyric above and his lyric could equally be understood to be consistent with “I cam that they may have life” that Jesus offers as Steve read from John 10:10.
I, as you, can’t know specifically what is going on in James Taylors heart and his lyrics are open to interpretation.
But I think we would agree that in Christ there is meaning and purpose, that all of us have an important contribution to make to the world wiht good works that God has provided for us in advance. And yes this is an awesome life affirmation. It enables endurance of suffering which inevitably comes along without becoming bitter and resentful which nihilism and the belief that life has no meaning does not offer.
I chose the song because of the title and the lyrics….not to mock….lighten up!
Hey brothers
Thanks so much for not only your wisdom etc but for your generosity of heart to bother making these to bless whoever
Ian of Wanni
Sung to a beautiful melody, this song-writer seems to have found the ‘answer’ to the ‘mystery of life’! With an almost a hymn-like quality Rita Young extolls the seeming infallibility of query romantic love:
‘Ah, sweet mystery of life, at last I’ve found thee
Ah! I know at last the secret of it all…
‘Tis the answer, ’tis the end and all of living
For it is love alone that rules for aye’.
Extract only of the words attributed to Rida Johnson Young (1875-1926). This song has captured many a heart over the years via its performance at weddings, receptions, musicals and movies. But as so many have found, unless a marriage places God at its centre, romantic love provides only a partial or temporary resilience.
‘Because you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.’ (Augustine, Confessions, 1.1.1.) Perhaps, also, see Acts 17: 28-29 and:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/an-analysis-of-one-of-the-greatest-sentences-ever-written/
Nevermind 1984, we now have 2020 vision!
And through it all, there is the chief end of man, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Or as John Piper puts it, *by* enjoying Him forever.
YBH, I hear; Yes, But, How?
John Owen, who puts paid to the common view of Puritans being sour faced lemon suckers, in his “Communion with God” embraces everyday piety in the muck and grime and glum and sunny upland respite of everyday life. A life lived, his, was far from hunky-dory glory.
BTW, James Taylor’s life has seen a lot of *Fire and Rain.*
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_1nKGVDhQ60
The prize for the most banal and platitudinous phrase in the history of pop songwriting goes to ”
“I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain”
Who hasn’t?
The secret of the Scottish Labour Party’s appealing new and improved Family Life lies herein :
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/16/anas-sarwar-ill-rebuild-labour-party-in-scotland
We must thank Mr Sarwar’s country of origin for the impending cultural improvement :
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/more-than-82-of-rapists-are-fathers-or-brothers-of-victims-in-pakistan-lawmaker-329214