75. Rock Goes The Gospel Paul Simon - "Slip Sliding Away"

"Slip Sliding Away" was originally written in 1975 and was considered to be on the Paul Simon Album of that years "Still Crazy After All These Years" it was decided not to release the song that year. The song was eventually released in 1977 and appeared on the album "Greatest Hits Etc..." It was also released as a single in October 1977 and instantly became a hit. The song has a number of possible meanings. One possible meaning is that the song is about how we reflect on life passing us by - and the regrets we have in that life for the choices we've made. First verse: a man's overpowering love for the (wrong?) woman causes him to "lose" his identity. Second verse: a woman who "became a wife," whose "good days" aren't so good, and who's "bad days" are spent wondering how much life has to offer - and how she made the wrong choice in a husband. Third verse: a father who abandoned his son and traveled far to tell him why, to explain - only to leave, knowing he couldn't ever make his son understand why his dad left him. Last verse: we think we've got it all figured out, but ONLY in the moment. When we look back, we'll wonder why we didn't do things differently.

Slip sliding away, slip sliding away
You know the nearer your destination, 

the more you slip sliding away

Whoah and I know a man, he came from my hometown
He wore his passion for his woman like a thorny crown
He said Dolores, I live in fear
My love for you's so overpowering, 

I'm afraid that I will disappear

[Chorus]

I know a woman, (who) became a wife
These are the very words she uses to describe her life
She said a good day ain't got no rain
She said a bad day is when I lie in the bed
And I think of things that might have been

[Chorus]

And I know a father who had a son
He longed to tell him all the reasons 

for the things he'd done
He came a long way just to explain
He kissed his boy as he lay sleeping
Then he turned around and he headed home again

[Chorus]

Whoah God only knows, God makes his plan
The information's unavailable to the mortal man
We're workin' our jobs, collect our pay
Believe we're gliding down the highway, 

when in fact we're slip sliding away

[Chorus 2x]

The song has many meanings and is written in that way, to prompt reflection on life. Paul simon is a expert lyricist and know how to weave a good song. The song indeed is about life passing us by and the regrets we have for the choices we make. The feeling that kind of reflection engenders is that of life sliding away from beneath us and we are powerless to do anything about it.

The last stanza of the song Paul Simon sings ... "God only knows. God makes his plan..........and believe were gliding down the highway, when infact we're slip sliding away" Whether the term is "Forsaking" "Flee" "Gone Astray" or "Departed" these words can be descriptive of once godly men and women who have left the faith. Peole who have falled away from their first love. And slipped from their daily walk with Jesus and God's plan for their life. It seldom happens abruptly or intentionally . A Godly person does not wake up in the morning and say "I'm Finished with Jesus" It is a gradual and subtle sliding away. Sliding away from prayer, bible study, fellowship, Godly choices, and a slow descend into apathy and unbelief. Paul writes about one such person in his letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:10 "10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia."

Once you have experienced His love I'm not sure how you can fell content living outside that love once more. We do not know much about Demas, except that he had deserted Paul for the lure of the world was to much for him. Paul says these things with sadness in his heart. Demas is a casualty and one who is being missed by Paul. There are those sadly in my life too that have slipped away and deserted Christ and his church. Be on your guard daily as apathy and the world's values have a creeping effect and before long we have slidden. If you recognise this morning that this is where you are at ask God like David did in his sliding away "Restore to me the Joy of My Salvation" (Ps51) May you know today a living relationship with Jesus that sustains you and may you resolve to not slip away.