I have always had a love for music, for as long as I can remember, anyway. I love the way music attaches to memories, taking us back to each moment when we hear it again. I love the way music sometimes says what we can’t figure out how to say.
Recently, I’ve started to hear God more clearly through music. I’ve been able to write music that helps me put words to my feelings, but recently it’s others’ words that have allowed me to hear God. A couple weeks ago I woke up with a song in my head that I didn’t really know. It was Losin’ by Tenth Avenue North. I had been dealing with unforgiveness and learning what it really means to love unconditionally, keeping no record of wrongs. And the song had been on the radio, but I hadn’t ever really paid attention to the lyrics. And I hadn’t listened to it on my own at all. So when I woke up singing the lyrics, I looked them up. That was such a cool moment for me because I knew it was God speaking through the music. I have a problem with listening intentionally for God’s voice, especially when it isn’t obvious. So I thanked Him for becoming obvious for me that day!
It happened again. I was crying, really feeling broken and confused, angry at God. And I heard the lyrics to another song I didn’t really know. “When you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus”. This one is called Just Say Jesus by 7eventh Time Down. This is another song I’d heard on the radio often, but didn’t really need to sing until this moment. It was this song that really made me think about what it means to just say the name of Jesus.
Maybe you’ve had a moment like this with someone in your life; when you needed someone and just called their name. Your spouse, best friend, sibling. Or maybe someone has called your name in desperate need. I think of when a kiddo gets hurt at school and I run to them and hug them, checking for injuries but really just letting them know they’re okay and I’m there. That’s what it is like with Jesus; we can just call His name. He is always with us, but sometimes it can be hard to remember that.
Have you ever felt so broken that you just have no words? No words to tell your friends or family how you’re feeling, and no words to even tell the Lord? I love the truth that this song speaks, that there is power in just saying the name of Jesus. And when we can’t find the words, that’s okay! When we call on Jesus, we don’t even have to use words. He knows us. He knows our every worry, fear, joy, our sadness and anger. And if we are casting blame on Him, we can just say, “Jesus”, and He knows exactly why we need Him in the moment. And He can take the blame, the anger, all of it. He just wants to be there for us.
The scary part? He knows us completely. There’s another song that caught my ear just this morning. It sort of went with something I read yesterday, it’s funny how the Lord will drop hints like that to get our attention. Shauna Niequist said in Present Over Perfect, “God loves me, and there’s nothing I can do in this new day to earn more love- nothing. And also there’s nothing I can do in this new day to ruin or break that love- nothing…That love is secure no matter what, no matter what, no matter what. No matter what I do or don’t do, no matter whether I succeed or fail, no matter if I perform well or fall apart.” (Shauna Niequist, Present Over Perfect). The song I’m thinking of is called Known by Tauren Wells. The whole song is so good so I’ll paste the lyrics below.
It’s so unusual it’s frightening
You see right through the mess inside me
And you call me out to pull me in
You tell me I can start again
And I don’t need to keep on hiding
I’m fully known and loved by You
You won’t let go no matter what I do
And it’s not one or the other
It’s hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known, fully known, and loved by You
I’m fully known and loved by You
It’s so like You to keep pursuing
It’s so like me to go astray
But You guard my heart with Your truth
A kind of love that’s bullet proof
And I surrender to Your kindness
I’m fully known and loved by You
You won’t let go no matter what I do
And it’s not one or the other
It’s hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known, fully known, and loved by You
I’m fully known and loved by You
How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much
How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much
I’m fully known and loved by You
You won’t let go no matter what I do
And it’s not one or the other
It’s hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known, fully known, and loved by You
I’m fully known and loved by You
It’s so unusual it’s frightening
I’m fully known and loved by You
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/taurenwells/known.html
To think that God loves us wholly and completely can be scary, because He has to know every part of us to love all of us. And He does!He knows my heart and He knows what I need when I can’t say it. What an amazing thing to say that God knows every part of me, the good and the very bad, and yet He still loves me the same. In fact, I can’t make Him love me less. And I can’t make Him love me more! His love for me is complete and cannot be changed. It can’t increase because it is already at capacity for even God! He loves me with all the love that’s possible. And that’s because of Jesus. We are known and loved because of Jesus. So when I can’t think of the words to say, when I am broken, I can just say “Jesus”. You can just say “Jesus”.
music seems to always bring me back around… thanks for sharing!
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