When I look back over my life, I’m so nostalgic about my past. But if I could teleport myself to any moment, I’d probably find that I’d been a bit bogged down with worry about school, work, or the future. But now that I’m detached from such worries, when I look at the past, I remember all the happy moments – and particularly music. I love to listen to old music. I generally look back on a different year every day. Today it’s 1995
Here’s one of my favourite songs from that year. I heard the song in the Virgin Megastore in Belfast in May 1995 on the day of the album’s release. It’s Paul Weller reflecting on his earlier years – as I’m always doing 😀. Stanley Road is one of my favourite albums of all time.
I wondered if my future self would want to give me more spiritual advice. But God does like us to enjoy ourselves. And there are good ways and bad ways to enjoy ourselves.
I think of a verse in the book of Acts. After Paul did a miracle, some pagans mistook him for a god. And he protested and pointed them to the true God. And in his statement, he gave God the credit for the joy they already knew, eventhough they had yet to become Christians:
Acts 14:16-17
16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
And I think of a verse from the Psalms:
Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Sometimes Christians give the impression that it’s more spiritual to be miserable. But that’s not true – even if you look into traditional outlooks such as the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647):
WSC Q1: “What is the chief end of man?”
A: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.”
And enjoying God’s creation means enjoying Him, particularly if we are aware that it all comes from Him. We’re the ones who add the flaws to it. I can feel as close to God listening to secular songs as I do listening to Hymns, if I’m aware of God’s presence. For example, secular songs from 1995 can make me pray for all those who I knew back then.
So I’ll close with two secular songs from 1995 and two worship songs. I didn’t know the worship songs at the time. I was big into older hymns back then. I’m always living in the past 😀.
Hibernia Gospel 