Emergence

Wow! right now someone from China is reading our blogs. Crazy cool. Isn't the internet amazing?

Alright... back on track.

I was listening to Chris Tomlin's latest album today called "Hello, Love". We use a few songs from it in our music rotation at Emergence ("Sing, Sing, Sing" "God of this City" and "I Will Rise" to name a few).

As I was listening through, I came across track 6, called "Love". While it is a great tune, and the inspiration for the title of the album, it has never really peaked my interest in the past. I think I fgured out why today as I listened to the words of the bridge:

Love is the answer/Love will find a way/When we love one another/It's a brighter day

Anyone who knows me well knows I have nothing but love for Tomlin. I don't think I would be doing what I do right now were it not for learning from him (and even copying him word for word and note for note in my younger days). But I hear those lyrics, and immediately, my brain turns to mush. See, it isn't that I don't believe those words are true in some idealistic way... it's just that it sounds like a Hallmark card. There's no meat to it--no real bite.

Just as I came to that realization, the moment I understood my reason for dismissing the song, these words popped into my head:

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

then this one:

Ephesians 6:2
live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

and then this one:

1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

...I like the song now.

See, it made me realize that love as an idealistic virtue is meaningless in a world that throws the word around like a dirty sock.

Love that is tangible... love that can be seen... that's the kind of love that actually is the answer, because that is the love found in Jesus.

I pray I can love more like that... in my marriage, in my parenting, in my church, in my worship, and in my relationships with others. 

Besides, I'm pretty certain that's what Chris meant when he wrote it anyway :)