O
ne song holds the distinction as the #1 hit with the oldest lyrics. It arrived with the distinctive sound of the jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar which accompanied it into the record books in 1965, an international hit by the Byrds.
It was called, “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season).”
The lyrics which appealed to Pete Seeger were written by King Solomon some 3000 years earlier. In his book, “The Preacher” (Ecclesiastes), the king reflected on the foolishness of wearing only rosy-tinted glasses and rushing after beautiful bubbles.
He wrote, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ... A time to break down, and a time to build up. ... A time to love, and a time to hate” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,3,81To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; (Ecclesiastes 3:3)
8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:8)). Read the rest in chapter 3.
We both know that changes come in a variety of flavors. There are changes we make ourselves. We diet; we upgrade computers. Other changes kick the door down and walk in. We are diagnosed with diabetes; our routine is disrupted by the illness of a child; we survive a collision and write off the car.
And now we have jetted through 2017! Time and change don’t weigh the inconvenience they impose on us, don’t pause so we can catch our breath or backtrack to take another run at the problem.
The preacher Hosea (400 B.C.) wrote in a compact sentence, “It is time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10:1212Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12)). Can I ask you a question? Have you thought a little about God this year? Just a little? Seriously?
The year with all its uncertainties already sits mostly behind us. The rest of it will not unroll quite how we anticipated. We will experience highs and lows. We will face trials and triumphs. But it will all pass. Most importantly, it is time, now, to seek the Lord. Or, as the song put it, Turn, Turn, Turn.
Where to begin? Pick up a Bible. Turn the pages; find the Gospel of Mark. It is an abridged account of the life and impact of Jesus. Read His story; hear His words. Pete Seeger added a little phrase at the end of the ancient lyrics. It was simply, “It’s not too late.” Of course, someday it will be. Seriously.
One of life’s sudden and shocking U-turns is covered in A Vacation Gone Wrong.