November 13, 2004

Oldies and Eternity

During its daytime programming, BBC Radio 2 plays a mixture of oldies and chart hits. One oldy that gets played more often than you might imagine is Glen Campbell's 1968 hit, "Wichita Lineman". It happens to be the favourite song ever of one of the substitute presenters (either Stuart Maconie or Richard Allinson), but it gets played by Steve Wright and Johnnie Walker as well.

It is only as I have heard it several times over the last few weeks that I have realised what a powerful song it is. The lines of the chorus have not left my mind for a couple of days:

And I need you more than want you
And I want you for all time
And the Wichita Lineman
Is still on the line

On a human level this describes a deep love, not dissimilar to a song I wrote for Mrs H even before we met in person:

You're forever in my soul
You forever make me whole
And forever isn't long enough to really let you know

What makes these lyrics hyperbole is that express an eternal element. We know on a theological level that, contrary to Mormonism, our human relationships are confined to this side of the veil. However, they demonstrate that our human relationships should reflect a Divine one. Christ and the Church: the real marriage, as it were.

Either of these songs (as I elevate myself along side the legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb) reveal the inadequacy of our love for God and the value of spending eternity with Him. Since eternity exists outside of time, I don't know if has any progressive aspects, but as creatures it is hard to imagine that we could arrive on the other side with a perfected love. We may be full of His energies, but even in our glorified state we will not share in His essence, so surely it will take all of eternity to appreciate the depth of His love.

On a human level, it just makes good music.

Posted by david at November 13, 2004 02:42 AM | TrackBack
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