Lent 2008: Third Sunday – Sunday, Sunday

Back in the day (a euphamism for older people’s youth) the Mama’s and Poppa’s had a song, Monday, Monday. The first day of the workweek was a diffifult day, when you didn’t know where the week, or even that day would go. One stanza says:

Monday, monday,
can’t trust that day
Monday, monday,
sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh monday mornin
you gave me no warnin
of what was to be
Oh monday, monday,
how could you leave
and not take me

Despite all of the lip service to Peace and Love (LUV), that time, which I lived through and energetically participated in, really was a period filled with an encompassing sense of abandonment that was deep and personal. The Mama’s and Poppa’s were typical of the late 60’s, early 70’s counter culture, especially in their view of the Christian religion (the oft-mentioned Jesus People not withstanding). In their most popular song, California Dreaming, they let their disdain have full voice.

I stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees
Got down on my knees
And I pretend to pray
I pretend to pray
You know the preacher likes the cold
Preacher likes the cold
He knows Im gonna stay
Knows I’m gonna stay
California dreamin’
California dreamin’
On such a winters day

The Church as a warm building that accepts bodies in from the cold, whether or not the souls want to be there. The song is really about the sense of loss (California dreaming in winter) and willingness to abandon everything, including the woman who you are with, to go back to the icon of 60’s, sunny California, the place of warmth and freedom.

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
Ive been for a walk
On a winter’s day
If I didn’t tell her
I could leave today
California dreamin’
On such a winters day
California dreaming
On such a winters day
California dreaming
On such a winters day

But the contrast is that Sundays are trustworthy days. Since the first century, when the Church moved its worship from the Jewish Sabbath to Resurrection Sunday, denoting the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, Sunday has been the day of prayer, worship, Communion, singing, and fellowship, the day for experiencing Acts 2:42.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Act 2:42

That doesn’t mean that Sundays are also the time to dream, but not of abandonment and loss, instead of inclusion and being given everything that matters, eternal love in Christ Jesus while being born again into the family of God, which enables us to revel in the promise “That I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

So, instead of California dreaming, on Sundays I have a bit Kingdom dreaming, secure in the promises nailed firmly to the cross, that I am his and he is mine, now and forever.

Grace and peace.

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