20 or 21 to 4, It's just not the same!

Barbara and I are spending a few days in south Mississippi. On our way down, we listened to a countdown of the 100 most influential songs on Classic Vinyl (SiriusXM). We never figured out who decided what criteria was influential or not nor did we hear what the number one song was because we arrived at the house and it was late. The countdown included other music and artist interviews etc. One interview was with the writer of Chicago's hit 25 or 6 to 4. Now I have always wondered what that title was about. The writer explained he had a musical idea developed (a good one I'll say) but no title or words. He was in a room with a piano working and looked up at the clock and it was either 25 or 26 to 4 in the morning. So, he used that as a title and wrote the song. All this while I've thought the song had some mystical, deep hidden meaning when in fact it is a lyric about how hard it was to write that song.

So, I have used the same method as I put together this post at 20 or 21 to 4 am. Woke up got out of bed...(Beatles I know) with my mind going. Sometimes things are just what they seem, nothing more nothing less. We do like to spend a significant amount of time adding and taking away meaning to all kinds of things. We tend to make important that which is not and at the same time fail to see the significance of what appears to be a simple action or activity. We are most guilty of this when it comes to the Bible.

We can get fixated on this or that and fail in the same moment to recognize the bigger message because it is just seems too simple. Consider how you might respond if asked to sum up the Bible! How do you sum up all of history written over 1500 years in 66 books? How about, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life?" (John 3:16) What message is more central to the entire Bible than that? It's so simple a child can understand and so complex it confounds the wisest of scholars! Jesus was asked:

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important[c] command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:36-40 HCSB
The simplest things are the hardest. Sleep at 20 or 21 to 4am is mighty difficult to come by. But maybe it is what it is. God in control reminding me of what's important and what's not so I can go back to sleep (that will be important later in the day)!

In HIS Service and Yours,
BroG