From Paul to Springsteen

Dear First Pres SLO Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of the one who holds all things together, Jesus the Messiah.

This week’s reflection is really a jumble of things. I’m still wrestling with the Hebrew word we talked about on Sunday, hesed. Something about this description of God that doesn’t translate easily into our own language, well, it’s working on me a little. This coming Sunday we’ll look at a Greek word from the New Testament, metanoia.

Thursday evening we’ll start our evening Bible study—we’ll be on a journey through Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It was a crucial letter in its time, for the way that it showed how Jesus fulfills both the Law and the hope of Judaism. For us today, Galatians is an expression of freedom—a reminder that our lives of faith are meant to be lived to the fullest, and that our identity is in Jesus and not our ability to follow rules. That’s at 7pm on Zoom.

And while we’re on the subject of words for these fall Sundays, indulge me a little here. On this date in 1949, Bruce Sprinsteen was born. He wrote what I still think is the best start to a song that I’ve ever heard:

The screen door slams

Mary's dress waves

Like a vision she dances across the porch

As the radio plays

Roy Orbison singing for the lonely

Hey that's me and I want you only.

(Thunder Road, 1975)

But Springsteen also had a sharp eye for social commentary, too.

Hard to argue with these next lines.

Poor man wanna be rich,

rich man wanna be king

And a king ain't satisfied

till he rules everything.

(Badlands, 1978)

You might hear some Bruce coming from my office today, if you drop by. Fair warning.

See you this Sunday. Blessings to you and yours,

Pastor John