Thursday, August 18, 2016

Advent: People Get Ready

A week ago, I would be going to a ukulele meet-up in the evening.  It was a treat to do something different on a Thursday, and to see the summer ukulele group in a different setting.  We stayed for a bit of the open mic, and when a group sang, "People Get Ready," I whispered to our group leader, "We should practice this for Advent--we have plenty of time!"

She suggested that I write different lyrics, but as I listened to the lyrics sung by the group, I realized that the original lyrics could work for Advent as is--and for Easter--and for Pentecost.

Still, it might be fun to write new lyrics.  So let me look at the original lyrics and give it some thought:

People get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
People get ready for the train to Jordan
It's picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board 'em
There's hope for all among those loved the most.
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there's no hiding place against the Kingdom's throne
So people get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
 
Yes, some bits need some revision--I'm not comfortable with the idea that some of us are loved more than others, which is what some people would hear with this line:  There's hope for all among those loved the most.  And no room for the hopeless sinner?  Aren't we all hopeless sinners?
 
And the larger issue--faith is the key--no, that's not very Lutheran.  Grace is the key.  You don't even need faith to hear the diesels humming--grace will overtake you before your senses perceive it--or am I wandering into even more mistaken theological imagery?
 
So yes, let me play with this song--and let me look up some chords!
 
C, Am, and F--or D, Bm, and G--or G, Em7, and C--yes, this is doable!

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