Reflection on Ephesians 5:15-20

 

Sister Suzanne Toolan of the Sisters of Mercy wrote the beloved hymn, “I Am the Bread of Life,” while she was teaching high school during a free period in her day.  When the bell rang for the next class she decided she did not like the music, so she tore it up and threw it in the wastepaper basket.

Her classroom was next to the nurse’s office, and a girl came out of the nurse’s office and said, “What was that?  It was beautiful!”  The girl was moved by the song and encouraged sister Toolan to go back into the classroom, take the manuscript out of the basket and tape it back together. Ever since, it has become one of the most popular communion hymns around the world.

That song that the nun tore up, threw away, and then taped back together only because it had touched the hearts of one of her students, has gone on to touch many more people throughout the world.  Its strong promise, echoing the words of John 6:54, “And I will raise you up,” repeating three times in a powerful, ascending musical crescendo, spoke powerfully to a young man sitting toward the back of a funeral.  The man was moved to tears, accompanied by weeping that would have been audible if it weren’t for the echoes of voices repeating, again and again Jesus’ promise, “And I will raise you up.” 

Not only was it a promise that spoke deeply to his soul as he sat, despairing the loss of a good friend to an automobile accident, it also spoke directly to him.  It was as if Jesus had walked in the doors of that church, sat down right next to him, looked at him in his, lowly, unshaven, fatigued and hungry state, and said, “I will raise you up.”

The story of how he became broke, and lost many of his friends is complicated, like most such stories, but if you assumed that depression and alcohol was involved, you would be right. 

He put himself together the best that he could, to be presentable at the funeral, but hidden behind the nice exterior was a man who longed for the fresh drink of water and the good food of the funeral reception to follow.  How he longed to finally be given a cup of water from the faithful.  How he longed to finally be given a scrap of food from those who follow Christ.  How he longed to find healing from his long lists of personal tragedies and losses.  How he longed to be “raised up.”

That song…that message of Jesus, spoken right to his soul that day, kept returning again and again in his head.  It was an ear worm.

You know: “ear worms.”  They are snippets of songs that get caught in your head and play over and over and over again.  You may not even like the song.  It does not matter.  It will play over and over again none the less, and you will not be able to stop it.  You know, song lyrics like: “We will, we will rock you,” and “Don’t stop, believing,” and “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.”  How many of us are tormented with that yearly…and this year, twice a year!  “Thank you, Pastor Jira.”

But, that crescendo of a chorus, “And I will raise you up” was an ear worm in this man’s head, in a good, and glorious way.  He heard it again the day he saw another guy, who looked about as well off as he.  “And I will raise you up” went through his head, as he dug into his wallet, took out his remaining cash, and paid for the man’s modest meal of a bagel and coffee. 

“And, I will raise you up” went through his head as he stared at the bottles of liquor in the cabinet, and decided for the first time in a long time to close the cabinet door. 

The words of Jesus lived in this man through this tune, and in turn, this man lived the life of Jesus because of the tune.  That is the power of song.

The writer of Ephesians understands the power of faithful songs.  He understands the power that these songs have when sung together.  He understands that sometimes the way to wise, Christian living, is not necessarily through the head…through instruction…through words of admonition.  He understands that sometimes you need something that can penetrate the soul: song.

Before he explains that though, the writer of Ephesians reminds us that we are God’s people. 

And, we are God’s people, not because we tried to be someone or were able to do anything to earn it, but because God decided that we should be a part of God’s people, despite all we have done or who we have tried to be.  We are God’s people because of God’s grace.

This is important to keep in mind.  Our lives of faith are a gift from God, given to us through the promise of new life in Jesus Christ, and Christ’s redeeming love shown on the cross.  That gift of love does something.  It looks like something.  And, conversely, it does not do or look like something else. 

To remind you, he says, “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit…”

If you are a people loved by God who is faithful to you, then one would assume that your life would look a lot like that faithful God.  “Be careful then how you live…”  Wise people of God are not going to waste their time focusing on things that are just plain foolish, and maybe dangerous, and maybe, hurtful in the long run.  “Do not get drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit…”

Now, it is easy to say something like that (“Don’t drink too much, it can’t bring anything good in the long run”), and it is even easy to agree with it in your head (“Sure, I won’t use alcohol as a crutch”), But, like many other things which are driven not by your head but by your emotional state, it is a lot harder in reality. 

As you may know, in my family we have four wonderful, independent, creative thinkers in our house.  Now, have you ever had four independent, creative thinkers all creatively thinking independently at the same time?  You might sometimes stare at the wine rack too.

I do not mean to make too light something which is not light.  We all know what happens when we are forced to rely on treatments for our problems which hurt more than they help.  Be it food, or drink, or gambling, or an unhealthy solitude, or the distraction of work, or the invigoration of fighting, or any number of things, you can fill in the blank.  Here is the thing: all of it is filling a hole in our very being that could instead be filled by the God’s Holy Spirit.

And, this is where the wisdom of Ephesians starts to become clear.  Rather than fill that hole in your being, that hole in your soul, with time spent doing what dulls and harms, how about you try singing some faithful songs?

“Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Now, this is not instructions on how to be a good Christian.  You do not need to know how to sing good in order to be a Christian.  This is not what you need to do in order to become a faithful person.  That poor, depressed man did not show up at that funeral thinking, “Well, today is the day I’m going to get my act together after 20 years of failure.  I’m going to church.” 

No!  He showed up to church because he was drawn there under terrible circumstances.  But, because he was there, Jesus showed up, and Jesus sat down next to him during that song, and Jesus spoke, not to his head, but to his heart, as the faithful people of God together sang, “And, he will raise you up.”

“Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts…”

These songs of faith are unappreciated keys that are somehow able to penetrate the locks of our souls.  They are the word of God set to the rhythm and heartbeat of our spirits.  They are gifts of God that the Holy Spirit uses to move us in ways that no other means can even hope to achieve.

To this day, the formerly poor and depressed man hears the echo of “And, I will raise you up” in his head.  It is the song that Mary hears which prepares her to be the mother of Jesus.  It is the song that Peter hears after he has ruined everything by denying Jesus, but is called to follow Jesus again anyway.  It is the song of resurrection promise given by Jesus himself. 

It is the song that gives hope whenever the man falls on hard times.  “And I will raise you up.”  And, it is the song that allows the man to see what Christ just might be leading him to do as he sees a young woman…an acquaintance…crying in a booth at a café.  “And I will raise you up.”

“Hi, I know you don’t know me all that well, but it looks like you need some help getting up from here.  How can I help?”