I was speed-walking to church today, listening to a random collection of Jesus-friendly tunes on my iPod, when I was suddenly really uncomfortable with the lyrics blasting into my brain.
I was listening to skewed, narcissistic love songs about God. But mostly about me.
Picture this:
The love of your life sits at the edge of your bed. With a guitar. He starts to sing you a song, one written especially for you. Because you changed his world. You’ve been waiting to hear him articulate how he really feels for quite some time….
And the song goes something like this:
You love me
Oh, baby, you love me
You love me more than I’ll ever love you
You love me
Yeah. Super-romantic. *swoon*
And yet that’s what we’re doing at church. We call it “worship,” but most often it’s not. We’re singing songs about God loving us. About how important we are to Him. “You thought of me / Above all.” The adoration is somehow rooted in what He offers us, not in who He is. I’m a little creeped out.
It’s not about us.
It’s about Him.
He knows that He loves us. A father doesn’t just want his adorably frustrating snot-covered preschoolers running into his arms and squealing, “Daddy, you love me!” Yes, it’s true. And it’s an important acknowledgment. But it’s the “I love you” that brings tears of joy. With reciprocation comes a real relationship.
Jesus loves me, this I know. But if it’s only one-way, why am I even singing? And if I fail to acknowledge who this Jesus is, why does it even matter that he loves me? I mean, last summer, a homeless guy told me he loves me. And I don’t sing songs about him (very often).
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Well said. I totally agree and I can’t even sing along with “those” songs at church.
Don’t get me started on modern worship tunes.
Great post!