Writing A Love Song

I didn't think there would ever be an appropriate time to mention that I am sometimes a fan of Glee (because some episodes are great (like On My Way) and other episodes are centered around the musical "stylings" of Justin Bieber).  All the same, Glee is kind of an inspiration for this week's post.  Case in point, a sampling of songs from recent episodes:

Take My Breath Away
What Makes You Beautiful
I Have Nothing
I Will Always Love You
The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face)
If I Can’t Have You
How Deep Is Your Love

The common denominator between these songs is that they are all love songs (and for the most part, incredibly cheesy).  How does this relate to a blog about Christian music, you might ask?  The answer for me is simple.  These love songs express human love, limited and narrow in scope, but they share a singular trait in that they are a glimpse of the love God has for us. 

Based on this knowledge and the above list, I set out to try and write a love song to God.  You would think it would be easy, I sure did.  But its easier to write a love song to a tangible person and apparently for me to sound like Patrick Swayze (seriously, everything I thought about came back to She's Like the Wind).

You might say, wait a minute fearless blogger, aren't all Christian songs love songs to God?  Well , yes, some are.  But most aren't specifically a love song to God.  They are about commissioning, what heaven could be like (I Can Only Imagine- a personal favorite), story songs (think American Dream or While You Were Sleeping...both by Casting Crowns), and praises to God for different attributes of his personality (Revelation Song comes to mind here).

I am working on my own project for God -a love song of sorts, but I am intrigued by this idea of a love song to God.  Not merely a personal expression of faith but of a passion that exceeds understanding.  Is it/ should it be so much harder to sing I Will Always Love You to God rather than to another human? 

There are several good ballads in Christendom that one could argue are perfect love songs to God and I chose on my favorites for this week's deconstruction.  Before we begin though, I'd like you think about your love song to God.  What instruments would be instrumental (trumpets -I Was Made to Love You, violins- Agnus Dei by Michael Smith, piano only, drums)?  What would you write?  What would the tempo be? 

Well, before I get a little too Sister Mary Clarence on the topic, let me introduce this week's song choice.  Wonderful, Merciful Savior by Selah: http://youtu.be/gQzrqmcwg8o

I want you to notice the imagery that is provided for us and I want you to dwell on that - to dwell on who God is through Jesus Christ in those things.  Wonderful, Merciful, Savior, Precious, Redeemer, Friend, Almighty, Infinite Father, Counselor, Comforter, Keeper

If you're one of those people that only goes to church for Christmas and Easter, you might notice that several of those titles are represented during the Christmas passage of Isaiah where the coming King is discussed (Isaiah 9:6). 

And normally, those titles are glossed over to get to the cute manger scene with the lowing cattle and such.  But to think of God as something like Wonderful is more than a nice novelty of Christmas.  In some cultures, its almost akin to blasphemy because of the perception of God being so removed from the lives of His subjects -and its seen as quite proper. 

But being removed is never who Jesus was.  He came into a messy world to grant us life and to give us a chance to join him in his work (in whatever form that may take) and he came to be all those titles and more.

Who would have thought that a lamb could rescue the souls of men?

And Jesus being referenced as a lamb is nothing new.  He is the spotless lamb and the lamb that opens the seals in Revelation - him being the only one able.  (1 Peter 1:18-20, Revelations 5)  The lamb is reference to his sacrificial offering that brought the curse of Adam to an end with his death and resurrection.  Curiously enough, you also see a passage like this in the bible where the time is promised where a lion will lay with a lamb. 

Hint: Jesus is also the lion of Judah (Revelations 5:5/ Hosea 5: 14).  That my seem slightly confusing, but seeing Jesus as a spotless lamb is actually just as difficult to see him as lion overturning tables in the temple out of anger.  How is it easier?  Well, because of the fact that Jesus being a 33 year old carpenter at the end of his ministry means that he was faultless, sinless, and guiltless through 33 1/2 full blooded male years, while being tempted, while healing demons, and while calling disciples to him and sending them out.

I have a hard time even getting to the gym most weeks.  Kidding aside, I'm sure that if you've been a Christian that you have run across some sort of argument that tries to make Jesus seem more human, fallible, and therefore not guiltless (Dan Brown fictional novels come to mind).

Its so hard in our day and age of free access porn and instant gratification brownie mix and buy it now online airfare that there would have ever been anyone like Jesus.  There is just a brain pattern that screams It is Impossible!  It is Inconceivable! 

But its true.  Jesus was the Son of God who did no wrong and gave us freedom even though we do wrong on a mostly hourly basis.

Following his titles, there are notes in the song, subtle hints in the wording that leaves you to fill your life into them.  Phrases about faithfully loving your own and a Spirit we long to embrace.  It comes close to this love song I've been trying to write, a love song that is maybe one day a love story - which, at the end of the day, Christianity really should be.

But its not just about us longing for him, seeing how we've yearned and remembering that need.  Oh no.  Our Jesus found us in darkness and falling before his throne.

And he loved us instead of throwing us on the funeral pyre where we belonged after we, each person in history, every person reading this blog and every person both before and after, hung that innocent lamb on a horrific cross of crucifixtion.  Whether or not you want to toss blame on Pilate, the Romans, the Jews, Herod, the cowardly apostles, or anyone else in the history of the story, you cannot. 

The truth is deeply more personal in that he loved us while we were still sinners and an answer is demanded from our lips thus:

You are the one that we praise
You are the one we adore
You give the healing and grace our
Hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

So this week, think about your love song to God.  Toil with it, struggle with it, don't make it some mediocre achievement, make it a festival and an offering.  Oh yeah, and I can't wait to hear or read them.

Thanks for reading,

John