Welcome to Tuesday April 5th, 2016! Time for another "Turn back the page" Tuesday with a reprint of an email version of The Notes. Today's reimagineering comes from June 14th, 2011 and features THE Band from the sixties. The lads from Liverpool, the dudes with the dos (hairdos, that is)The brigadiers of the British Invasion, here's Tuesday's Musical Notes with the Beatles and the title track from their album and movie theme from their 1965.
If you were to write a great song, here are some things for which you would hope:
1) The song would be the title track from an album that goes to #1 on the Billboard charts
2) The song would become a single that hits #1 and stays for 3 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
3) The song would be the title and part of the soundtrack for a major motion picture featuring the hottest musical group on the planet
4) The song would become iconic in the music industry by being covered countless times and featured in television ads
5) The song would become the subject of a weekly devotional that features popular music from all decades
In fact, that song WAS written. It is HELP! by the Beatles. Que the flashback music.....
"Help!" the title track from the 1965 album by The Beatles
3) The song would be the title and part of the soundtrack for a major motion picture featuring the hottest musical group on the planet
4) The song would become iconic in the music industry by being covered countless times and featured in television ads
5) The song would become the subject of a weekly devotional that features popular music from all decades
In fact, that song WAS written. It is HELP! by the Beatles. Que the flashback music.....
"Help!" the title track from the 1965 album by The Beatles
or maybe your in the mood for a more animated version:
Let's face it, The Beatles are known for good lyrics, good hair, and music that brought about change in their time. They are not however, necessarily known for being followers of Jesus. John Lennon even went so far as to say of the band that, "We're more popular that Jesus right now". This quote appeared in an article written for The London Evening Standard on March 4, 1966. In context, he was making a statement on the decline of Christianity in England and the rise in acclaim of The Beatles. He later realized, after the article went to press in the United States, that particular quote was not a very popular thing to say when you want to sell records, or promote a US tour, and Lennon, under press pressure lamented, "if you want me to apologise, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry". ("More Popular Than Jesus" - wikipedia.com) The US tour was a success and The Beatles have become THE representation of the British Invasion, the quintessential example of Rock-n-Roll gods, and the group that assisted in defining the word "iconic" .
But the Beatles were not gods, or even god like. John Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment and George Harrison succumbed to cancer. Paul McCartney has had good success, however his personal life has been the subject of constant court cases and marital distress. Of the four Beatles, only Ringo Starr has been able to sustain a modicum of success that came about from the persona that he had in the 60's. He has continued in the music industry (Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band) and even appeared post Beatle's on the big screen. His last movie appearance would be in the 1981 movie "Caveman" (where he met wife Barbara Bach).
"Help!" in the context of this song, is an interjection. It is used as an exclamation to call for assistance or to attract attention. I have had many times in my life when I used this exclamation to call for assistance. Most of those times I should have asked for the assistance prior to starting the task, but like so many of us, I thought I could do it all on my own. Why do we do that with our lives? Do we think that after God allows us to be created we don't need Him anymore? Or do we fully depend on him everyday? If we were honest with ourselves, I think many of us would fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. We depend on God for some things but in others we use a popular phrase that I hear from the younger set...."I Got This"....... oh, you've heard it too?
The NIV translation of the Bible uses the word "help" or a derivative in a variety of ways. Help, helped, or helper are found 287 times according to "Help" in the New International Version of the Bible. On occasion, the Bible uses "help" as a negative, but the vast majority of references are positive, asking God for help and it being provided. Psalm 28:7 NIV/King James Version of the Bible parallel, refers to God's strength and presence when help is needed and then celebrates the help that He provides. What potential there is in the life that adopts this attitude! God's strength and His help is all sufficient for any situation in which we find ourselves. God provides help to us and through us to others. Can you be that conduit to show God's love by providing God's help?
Many followers of Jesus are seeking that "ministry" in which they can participate. While these "official" ministries are wonderful ways God is glorified and the Gospel is promoted, there are ministry opportunities that abound everyday if we will take the time to invest in other people. Several years ago, a small book called Random Acts Of Kindness became very popular. It listed easy/seemingly small things that you can do for your fellow man. Many embraced this book and went about doing some of the items listed in its covers. As Christians, this should be our lifestyle. God provides countless situations whereby we can be a help to someone in need. He uses that moment to show His love to others through us. We can literally be His hands and feet as we minister to others by helping them.
"Hands And Feet" - Audio Adrenaline from the 1999 album Underdog
As we develop relationships with all people, not just the folks that are exactly like us, God provides the impetus for us to show His love by being there when folks around us cry out...
Help! I need somebody!
Help! Not just anybody!
Help! You know I need someone!
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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