A Greater Song
Artwork by Hannah Dennis
In Greek mythology, sirens are seemingly beautiful creatures whose song is so alluring that even when one of their victims knows it will lead to suffering, even death, they irresistibly succumb to the Siren’s Song. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus is the captain of a ship that must pass through the Island of Sirens to arrive at their destination. To test if he can survive the siren’s song while still enjoying the pleasure of its tune, Odysseus has his crew secure him to the mast while he instructs his crew to fill their ears with beeswax. The song goes like this:
“Odysseus, bravest of heroes,
Draw near to us, on our green island,
Odysseus, we’ll teach you wisdom,
We’ll give you love, sweeter than honey.
The songs we sing, soothe away sorrow,
And in our arms, you will be happy.
Odysseus, bravest of heroes, The songs we sing, will bring you peace.”
As expected, the captain is bewitched by the song while his crew sees the danger and ignores the captain’s pleas to be freed. Once they pass safely, Odysseus is understandably grateful his crew remained steadfast through the threat. While they did not succumb, I can imagine they remained fearful of the song’s power and their brush with death.
The myth of the sirens and the story of Odysseus’ encounter is a vivid depiction of “the sin that so easily ensnares” (Hebrews 12:1). While the strategy of the enemy remains unchanged, his tactics change with the times. In every culture and every generation, songs are specifically produced to ensnare us as we go about our daily lives. Similar to the Song of the Sirens, they promise wisdom, and love, to soothe sorrow, happiness, and peace. What underlies these sweet melodies will divert our hope, trust, and joy from Christ to what we can often agree is destructive.
These songs are sirens playing on our desires and fears where even a whisper of their melodies can trigger us to be “easily” ensnared. The goal of the enemy is always to overwhelm our senses and weigh us down so we cannot participate in the “race that lies before us” (Heb 12:1). The enemy knows the song to play that will cause us to spiral into destruction and despair. Even when we know we should put our phones down, not click on that website, not join in on the gossip at work, not rest our hope in human security, ignore social media, and so forth, we find ourselves turning up the volume of the sirens that are now available at our fingertips or a simple voice command.
What the illustration of Odysseus’ safe passage fails to show us is that if we merely tie ourselves down or plug our ears we will miss the freedom, love, and hope found in following Christ. To simply avoid temptation or to toe the line of worldly pleasure is to give the sirens power over our freedom to joyfully follow Christ. Another legendary ship passed through the Song of Sirens. Jason, captain of the Argo, instructed Orpheus, a famous musician, to drown out the Siren’s song with his legendary music. The whole crew passes through the danger, but not by plugging their ears or toeing the line of danger, but by averting their ears to an ever-sweeter melody.
We as believers are like the second ship, we have a greater song to drown out the Sirens. The full context of Romans 12:1-2 presents the song; “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The solution is not abstract or aloof, but the knowledge of our God’s joy in saving His wayward people through His Son. This is found in Revelation 7 where the eternal song of the redeemed is sung by the redeemed from “every nation, tribe, people, and language” who stand “before [God’s] throne and the Lamb” and sing “salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb” (7:9-10). This is the song we wish to explore here as we desire to help all of us “lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us” through this greater song.
Reflection by John Klobuchar
A Greater Song
A poem by Hannah Dennis
Slithering to the surface, creatures from beneath, from the depths of a chaotic sea.
A legendary siren song is sung.
A song that will entice any ear who hears its pleas, pleas for the flesh and tongue to be satisfied by earthly pleasures.
Instead, it will lead to an ankle strung; tied to an anchor leading to death from a sunken lung.
This death will seem like an invitation.
Alluring melodies are hummed, sinking travelers that sail along.
_
Those who wish to pass unharmed may dam their ears to the cries of the tides.
Or, tie themselves down to the mast and cast their lots with the sounds of these wretched guides.
The song may rest, but their flesh still longs for the sweet lullaby of death.
Their ships drift along off course, forgetting their destination; they will arrive and be found without love with no hesitation.
_
To travel across the sea with open ears and untied limbs, a greater song covers a multitude.
A hymn written to set all captives of the flesh liberated from servitude.
The Son shines upon those sealed to hear.
Their point is fixed, their sails are set.
The siren song is drowned out and put to death.
All who believe sing this greater song standing before the Lamb, with palms in their hands.
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne.”
A triumphant crescendo proceeds, “Who the Son sets free is free indeed.”
