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, 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. (Ephesians 5:15-20)
The Epistle reading for Sunday 18 August presents a contrast between wise and unwise ways to live. Getting drunk with wine (I’m sure if living in a different time and place the writer would have added beer, cider, and various spirits) is right up there in the list of “foolish” behaviour – but I guess we knew that already. Incidentally, the Bible has a balanced view about alcohol: drinking to excess (getting drunk) is frowned upon, while wine is regarded, particularly in the Old Testament, as one of the good gifts that God provides (“wine to gladden the human heart” Psalm 104:15).
“The days are evil” is the sort of phrase that could probably have been uttered at any time over the last two millennia. It can function as an invitation to use our time well, not wandering around in a directionless haze but instead discerning and living out the will of Christ. The lives of Christians should look different from those of others, so we’re encouraged to pay close attention to how we live.
There’re some interesting points here too about the spiritually formative practice of singing. We remember words more easily when we sing them – I suspect we’ve all had the experience of getting a song stuck in our brains and not being able to get rid of the tune or the words – sometimes called an “earworm.” There’s evidence that listening to or engaging with music (singing, dancing or playing instruments) can help those with dementia, by helping them express their feelings or access memories. Singing during worship is something that we do together, and so it reinforces a sense of community and joint participation in the liturgy. It’s important that the hymns we sing during a service have words that reflect good theology – the words matter as much as, maybe even more, than the tune. The famous 20th century theologian Karl Barth was once asked if he could summarise his whole life’s work in theology in a sentence. Barth replied, “Yes, I can. In the words of a song, I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’” What is your favourite hymn – and how does it affect how you live?
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