Longing for Home (WWI - part 3)

Even before the first world war, music was often used during war time. Sometimes they were sad songs about the loss of life during war. Sometimes the songs encouraged the soldiers to be brave and do mighty deeds. Sometimes songs were written for the soldiers to march along to.

In WWI many songs reflected how much the soldiers longed for home and to be with family and friends again. A famous song of the time - and a favourite of the soldiers - was It's a long way to Tipperary. The video shown on the link shows many scenes of soldiers marching along to the frontline. Why don't you try learning the catchy chorus and try marching along to it at home?

Another famous song of the time was Keep the Home Fires Burning. Both of these songs describe how the soldiers wanted so much to be home.

The Bible talks about how we are away from the Lord while we live in our bodies, and how we long to be at home with Him (2 Corinthians 5: 6-8). This doesn't mean that God isn't with us now, just that we can't see Him and touch Him like we will be able to do when we are with Him in heaven. God is preparing a city for those who understand that we are foreigners on earth and are longing for our heavenly home (Hebrews 11:13-16).

A 'foreigner' is a visitor to a place or country that is not their own. They are different to the people who live there, they think differently, behave differently, and want different things. If we love Jesus, then we need to be different to people who don't know Him. Sometimes this is hard. People can be very unkind to those who don't 'fit in' with everyone else. But if we live our lives to please God - not ourselves or other people - He will help us to be strong, and one day we will live with Him in His Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:9-12)!

Can you think of a time when you have been different to other children because you are a Christian? Perhaps you can think of a time when you went along with the crowd because it was easier? Don't worry, God loves you and will forgive you if you ask Him. (1 John 1:9). I know, because I've done it too!

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In the video of the song Keep the Home Fire burning, above, did you notice what the pictures were showing? When all the men went off to war, women were encouraged to do the jobs that the men left behind. They farmed and worked in factories and did many other jobs that they would never have done before the war. After the war, many of these women found it very annoying that the men wanted their jobs back! They enjoyed working and earning a wage. You can read more about women in the world war here.

               

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