“He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.  He came to that which was His own, but his own did not receive Him.” (John 1:10-11)

 I saw a YouTube^TM video a few days ago which featured an ensemble of celebrities singing “What the World Needs Now Is Love,”¹ a song that despite its age, is still widely known because of its pleasant melody and appealing lyric.  The chorus is the essence of the song’s message:

                                                   What the world needs now                                                                                                                    Is love, sweet love.                                                                                                                                  That’s the only thing                                                                                                                              There’s just too little of.

                                                     What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love,
No not just for some
But for everyone.

It’s been 54 years since the song’s release, and it remains enjoyably catchy.  John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance” and “Imagine” are two other notable songs with similar themes.²  If I were to work at it I’m sure I could find quite a few other examples of songs and poetry which also express this hunger for what seems right, but, so far in human history, has not been experienced, at least not broadly.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

It’s a shame because the opportunity for the world to have “love sweet love” was offered and continues to be offered in Jesus Christ.   And like the rejection of Him noted in the passage from John 1, He still is rejected, even by people who claim to want what I believe only He can provide.  Despite its poor track record, the world continues to cling to the illusion that we can have what GOD offers, but on our own terms, that is we can have the best of GOD, while still choosing our own path.

In Isaiah 50, the prophet talks of those who walk by the light provided by GOD and those who prefer to walk by the light of their own fires.  He’s pretty direct about the outcomes of both choices.

Until folks decide that GOD’s will really does need to be done on Earth (in their lives) as it is in Heaven, I guess just we’ll have to settle for songs that express good and righteous desires without really ever experiencing the fulfillment of them.

1. What the World Needs Now Is Love by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, released in 1965 on Imperial Records.
2. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon, released in 1969 on Apple Records.  Imagine by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released in 1971 on Apple Records.

© Byron L. Hannon, 2019.  All rights reserved to text content except as otherwise noted.