Tim & his wife Rachel have been involved with Soul Survivor events around the world as well as the Soul Survivor Watford church for many years.
Tim now heads up the worship at Holy Trinity Brompton, having previously been Worship Pastor at Soul Survivor Watford (a post now held by Beth Croft nee Beth Coulson) and is passionate about resourcing musicians and worship leaders.
http://www.worshipcentral.org/blog/tim/.
Ecclesiastes
Tim Hughes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a time to dance
There's a time to let go
And a time for romance
There's a time for war
And a time for peace
There's a time to embrace
And a time to release
Oh my Lord I need to find
Take my hand and I will follow
There's a time for love
And a time to hate
All the evil choices that we make
There's a time to rise
And a time to fall
It's a time to keep
Or just throw at all
Your love in every breathe I take
In every step I make
Your love will shine on me
The lyrics of Ecclesiastes by Tim Hughes speak to the ebb and flow of life. It acknowledges that life has moments of joy and pain, and that there is a time for everything. The verses are structured around the concept of dichotomies - love and hate, war and peace, rise and fall. The chorus then offers a prayerful response to these dichotomies, asking the Lord to lead the way in finding meaning and purpose in life's many turns.
The song's titular reference to Ecclesiastes likely alludes to the message in the Biblical book of the same name. Ecclesiastes tells of the "preacher" who reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the futility of material pursuits. In the book, the preacher concludes that the only meaningful way to approach life is with reverence and trust in God. While Hughes's song does not directly reference the book in its lyrics, the theme of wise living and seeking God's guidance in all things is certainly present.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a time for tears
There are moments in life that call for sadness and mourning.
And a time to dance
Antithetically to sadness, sometimes life calls for happiness and celebration.
There's a time to let go
Not everything we hold onto is meant to last; sometimes it's best to release it and move on.
And a time for romance
In the midst of life's ups and downs, there are moments of pure love and affection.
There's a time for war
There are times when conflict and struggle are inevitable.
And a time for peace
But ultimately, we hope for times of tranquility and harmony in our lives.
There's a time to embrace
Physical acts of affection can be powerful moments of connection in life.
And a time to release
But even as we embrace others, we know that we'll need to let go eventually.
Oh my Lord I need to find
The artist is in search of something greater.
Take my hand and I will follow
The artist is prepared to follow their faith and spirituality to this greater understanding.
There's a time for love
Love has a time and place in our lives.
And a time to hate
But along with love comes the opposite feeling of hate.
All the evil choices that we make
Unfortunately, we are occasionally the source of maliciousness and harm in the world.
There's a time to rise
Though we may face challenges, we have the potential to overcome them and grow stronger.
And a time to fall
However, sometimes we fail and falter, unable to rise up.
It's a time to keep
Certain things are meant to be held onto and cherished.
Or just throw at all
But other things may not be worth preserving and may be best left behind.
Your love in every breath I take
The singer feels the constant presence of God's love in every aspect of their life.
In every step I make
God's love guides the singer in their actions and helps them through life's journey.
Your love will shine on me
The artist trusts in God's love to illuminate their life and lead them towards goodness.
Contributed by Kaylee C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.