U2Soar
War Child
A couple weeks ago I read a review of ATYCLB in which the author suggested that we consider who is being addressed in the song WH. I had thought it was a fairly straight ahead and simple love song . Knowing U2’s faith and Bono’s sometimes very subtle way of expressing it I gave the song a second look.
soul speaks to God:
In the days
When we were swinging from the trees
I was a monkey
Stealing honey from the swarm of bees
I could taste...
I could taste you even then
And I would chase you down the wind
Did I know you...
Did I know you even then?
Before the clocks kept time
Before the world was made
From the cruel sun
You were shelter...
You were my shelter and my shade
God speaks to the soul:
I’m still standing...
I'm still standing where you left me
Are you still growing wild
With everything tame around you?
I send you flowers
Good flowers for your heart
I know your garden is full
But is there sweetness at all?
Wild Honey – the first half could be from the perspective of a human person. He or she recalling, remembering, reminiscing about the beginning of his/her relationship with God, the falling in love and the initial period being in love, when people are typically “wild” = “head over heels” walking like “5 feet off the ground.” “Wild” for each other. “Wild” in love. Yet, like any relationship it grows and changes. Sometimes one or both become disappointed or disillusioned with other when the euphoria at the start dissipates. Maybe the soul begins to drift away from God. Maybe the soul has become too “full” (with distractions or temptations or possessions or self pursuits or etc.) Maybe an encounter with difficult times causes the soul to question / accuse God: “Hey Lord what happened? You were once my shelter and You were once my shade. Where have You gone?” And God replies: “Hey, don’t try to tell Me that I’ve walked away. I'm still standing where you left me…” Still a love song. Still a loving relationship with God. Just a reaffirming it and recharging it with some “wild honey.”
Sure, human lovers can think of and use the imagery of "it seems like we are eternally destined" and "we're soulmates" but in a faith relationship the soul and and God have been united "before the world was made" and "before clocks kept time."
soul speaks to God:
In the days
When we were swinging from the trees
I was a monkey
Stealing honey from the swarm of bees
I could taste...
I could taste you even then
And I would chase you down the wind
Did I know you...
Did I know you even then?
Before the clocks kept time
Before the world was made
From the cruel sun
You were shelter...
You were my shelter and my shade
God speaks to the soul:
I’m still standing...
I'm still standing where you left me
Are you still growing wild
With everything tame around you?
I send you flowers
Good flowers for your heart
I know your garden is full
But is there sweetness at all?
Wild Honey – the first half could be from the perspective of a human person. He or she recalling, remembering, reminiscing about the beginning of his/her relationship with God, the falling in love and the initial period being in love, when people are typically “wild” = “head over heels” walking like “5 feet off the ground.” “Wild” for each other. “Wild” in love. Yet, like any relationship it grows and changes. Sometimes one or both become disappointed or disillusioned with other when the euphoria at the start dissipates. Maybe the soul begins to drift away from God. Maybe the soul has become too “full” (with distractions or temptations or possessions or self pursuits or etc.) Maybe an encounter with difficult times causes the soul to question / accuse God: “Hey Lord what happened? You were once my shelter and You were once my shade. Where have You gone?” And God replies: “Hey, don’t try to tell Me that I’ve walked away. I'm still standing where you left me…” Still a love song. Still a loving relationship with God. Just a reaffirming it and recharging it with some “wild honey.”
Sure, human lovers can think of and use the imagery of "it seems like we are eternally destined" and "we're soulmates" but in a faith relationship the soul and and God have been united "before the world was made" and "before clocks kept time."
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