Have you ever taken a moment to chew on a thought or idea and let its meaning sweep over you? As a singer and songwriter, I have written and performed several songs that have become so common to me that I hardly stop to think about what it is that I am singing about. I am thinking this happens for a few different reasons. First, I do not want to become too emotional in front of my audience, and ever since I cried about midway through a song during a concert, I have tried to detach myself from a song’s deeper meaning. Second, sometimes, it is easy to think ahead as I am singing. Often, I find myself one step ahead of myself through the entire song, which doesn’t leave me enough time to truly think about the lyrics. Perhaps my usual detachment from the lyrics made my recent experience so rewarding.
Just over a week ago, I attended an incredible evening of worship with worship leader, Chris Tomlin. During the band’s leading of the song “Indescribable,” originally written by Laura Story, I was struck with the force of this lyric: “You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but there comes a time more often than I’d like to admit when I feel lower than low. Maybe I am dealing with a poor attitude, the recurrence of sinful acts, or a less-than-enthusiastic response to spending time in the Word. At those times, I wonder what God could possibly see in me that would make Him proud. How could He love someone like me… so far from the person He desires me to be?
But the truth is, He does love me… and you, despite everything. He went to the cross for us, even then, knowing that we would fail Him time and time again. We can never measure up to His greatness, yet, we were created in His image thousands and thousands of years ago.
That night at the concert, Louie Giglio addressed the idea of we as people being image-bearers of the Lord. We were created with a purpose, and our DNA and physical make-up are both a pure marvel. No computer or memory card would ever be able to hold the data for our unique traits or personality. We are precious to Him, and even though we may not feel we deserve His love, He loves us passionately in return. He knew our name from the beginning, even before time began. I love the picture the Psalmist paints in Psalm 139:
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:14-17).
We are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and He knows everything within our hearts before we can even put voice to those thoughts or even utter a prayer. We serve an amazing and creative God, and we are called to be His image-bearers. I don’t know about you, but that night at the concert, I truly felt loved— deeply and truly loved by my Heavenly Father. I’m so incredibly thankful for this simple reminder contained in the lines of one of today’s praise and worship anthems.
cassiecontemplates 