| . Pentatonix is a popular a capella band who popped into my vision a couple years ago with "Mary Did You Know." Since they are my favorite band, it seemed appropriate I buy their new Christmas album, which included this rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Cohen performed two versions of the song over the years, each with different verses. This is a mix of the two. |
I had heard Cohen wrote 98 verses (or lines, I forget which), and these led from disappointment to redemption. As far as I could tell, however, this is untrue. Pentatonix leaves out a few verses, but none of them address redemption at all. As it stands, "Hallelujah" is a song about failed love. As a young single woman, I would have identified with this. Every chance I had for a romantic relationship failed before it began. God calls some people to a life of singleness, and I understood that.
My current life has taken a turn for the romantic. God gifted me with a wonderful boyfriend and now fiance`. The ideas of this song still play through my head from time to time, though, and I wonder. What if I am called to singleness, and I am subverting God's plan by getting engaged? What if this whole love business turns out to be messy, broken, and useless? What if I am perpetuating the must-be-married stereotype I hated when I was single? If I get married, am I part of the problem?
"Hallelujah" is a song about love. An unashamed, broken view of love. Here is one verse from the other version of the song, "I did my best, it wasn't much. / I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch. / I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. / And even though it all went wrong, / I'll stand before the Lord of Song / With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah."
My current life has taken a turn for the romantic. God gifted me with a wonderful boyfriend and now fiance`. The ideas of this song still play through my head from time to time, though, and I wonder. What if I am called to singleness, and I am subverting God's plan by getting engaged? What if this whole love business turns out to be messy, broken, and useless? What if I am perpetuating the must-be-married stereotype I hated when I was single? If I get married, am I part of the problem?
"Hallelujah" is a song about love. An unashamed, broken view of love. Here is one verse from the other version of the song, "I did my best, it wasn't much. / I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch. / I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. / And even though it all went wrong, / I'll stand before the Lord of Song / With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah."
Yes, love is messy, and it is broken.
But it is not, nor will it ever be, useless.
But it is not, nor will it ever be, useless.
Love sent Jesus Christ to Earth to die. Love is the reason God created the world. Love binds the church together in faith. Love is a powerful force, but this does not make it easy. In fact, its power may be why love is so difficult. The song is right. Love is not only the easy things. It is hard to hear that your significant other cheated on you, but love forgives him/her and finds a way to move forward. It is not easy to stay together when fiances are burdensome, but love keeps the other person close.
When asked about divorce, Jesus told the Pharisees, "'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together" (Mark 10:7-9). If marriage is God's plan for a couple, it is their job to keep that relationship alive, with His help. Some people are not called to this, but God gives the choice to others. He allows us to choose a path lined with love, and He gives us His blessing if we are willing to make it work.
Psalm 37:4 states, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires." My fiance` is a desire of my heart, and God understands this. (After all, He is the reason I have my fiance`.) As long as I am striving to be in God's will and loving Him with all I am, I can have my fiance` without guilt, without questions, and without fear. Love takes work, but the benefits far outweigh the effort every time.
When asked about divorce, Jesus told the Pharisees, "'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together" (Mark 10:7-9). If marriage is God's plan for a couple, it is their job to keep that relationship alive, with His help. Some people are not called to this, but God gives the choice to others. He allows us to choose a path lined with love, and He gives us His blessing if we are willing to make it work.
Psalm 37:4 states, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires." My fiance` is a desire of my heart, and God understands this. (After all, He is the reason I have my fiance`.) As long as I am striving to be in God's will and loving Him with all I am, I can have my fiance` without guilt, without questions, and without fear. Love takes work, but the benefits far outweigh the effort every time.