I spent a few days offline during Christmas. I didn’t even have my laptop at home. I didn’t check email or spend much time on the internet. Ok, I did go online to check the playoff picture for my beloved Kansas City Chiefs.
We had a wonderful Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I did not expect a huge crowd for the service. A number of people said that they would not make it, but we ended up with a full house. We worshiped Jesus as we sang the old carols. We had a Hendrix-inspired, guitar solo of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and I talked about Jesus coming as a light in dark places. Darkness leads to disorientation, depression and death, but light leads to liberation, laughter and life. Jesus said that He was (and is) the light of the world. We drank coffee and snacked and talked with friends and family. It was a great night. One of our church member’s grand-daughter said I looked like Dr. House. It must be the scruffy beard.
On Christmas Day, we opened gifts and the boys played in a sea of wrapping paper, empty boxes, Playstation 2 games and an endless collection of trains, Thomas the Train of course. I received a new Bible…a new translation actually. I am going to try out the ESV over the next year. I also received two Bob Dylan CDs – The Essential Bob Dylan
and Modern Times.
The Essential includes some of his early “classics” and Modern Times is his most recent studio release. I have been listening and my knowledge of (and love for) Dylan continues to grow. As always, I am interested in his spirituality and am looking for spiritual references in his songs. I still do not have enough evidence to cause me to doubt whether or not Bob is Brother Bob or not. Really, who I am to judge another man’s relationship with God. Before his own master he will stand or fall.
Let me share a few verses from two different songs that highlight Dylan spiritual yearnings. These lyrics form bookends around Dylan’s career. The first lines are from “Blowin’ in the Wind” and the last lines are from “Thunder on the Mountain”.
Blowin’ in the Wind (1962)
Bob Dylan
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Thunder on the Mountain (2006)
Bob Dylan
Thunder on the mountain rolling to the ground
Gonna get up in the morning walk the hard road down
Some sweet day I’ll stand beside my king
I wouldn’t betray your love or any other thing
Every day, I need to get up and walk down the hard road of life, ministry and service, but one day, I will stand beside my King. Amen Bob, Amen…