TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• This whole 14-day project began after a popular Christian singer, Jonathan Steingard of the band Hawk Nelson, renounced his faith on social media. His open letter asked a lot of hard questions. They were questions that both believers and unbelievers ask and we’ve addressed all but one them that he included in his letter (the last one is for tomorrow).
I was so saddened by the news for a number of obvious reasons, but also because this guy and his band wrote one of my favorite songs. It’s called “Drops in the Ocean.” As we wind up this series, I want to look at the lyrics of this song. In his open letter, Mr. Steingard said he could no longer sing this song because he no longer believed in its message.
First, let’s look at the lyrics:
I want you as you are not as you ought to be
Won’t you lay down your guard and come to me
The shame that grips you now is crippling
It breaks my heart to see you suffering
‘Cause I am for you
I’m not against you(CHORUS)
If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I’d say you are forgiven
It’s more than the drops in the ocean, ooh oohDon’t think you need to settle for a substitute
When I’m the only love that changes you
And I am for you
I’m not against you
I am for you
I’m not against you(CHORUS)
Open your heart it’s time that we start again, oh oh oh
Open your heart it’s time that we start again, oh oh oh(CHORUS)
The drops in the ocean, woah
I am for you
I’m not against you
I am for you
I’m not against you
So, as you can see, this is a letter from God’s perspective. It’s a song that speaks of His longing to be close to us; for us to depend on Him. He expresses His love for us as more than “drops in the ocean.” It’s a truly beautiful song with a powerful message. And I am really trying hard to reconcile how someone who was a part of creating it could walk away from it…
But let’s set that aside for now and focus on the narration of the song. Is it Biblical?
I think definitely so. Paul wrote, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). We cannot comprehend the depth of God’s love for us. It is truly immeasurable. The phrase “drops in the ocean” paints a poetic image that showcases the impossible-to-imagine love that God has for every human being.
It is only through this abundant love that God could have done the unthinkable — sent Christ to die for us even before we believed (Romans 5:8).
My question today is really not so much “Does God love us more than drops in the ocean?” That’s a resounding yes. My question instead is, “How often do you reflect on that magnitude of His love?” And my follow up question to that one is, “Do you make it a practice to live your life in gratitude for His love?”
We often focus on God’s incredible love for us and yes — it’s there. He’s far more generous with His love than any of us deserve. But as we accept His love, we must remember that our priority is to worship Him. Worship Him in gratitude for His love and for the life He gives. Praise Him with grateful hearts for the salvation He offers. Live our lives intentionally seeking to honor and glorify Him in all we say and do.
With that said, we’ll wrap up today. Once again, I ask you to join me in prayer for the man who helped pen such a powerful message and pray that He will rediscover God’s incredible, overwhelming love for him. And please join me in praying for an international revival so that others will accept God’s love and give their lives to Him.
Today, as you pray, acknowledge the gift of God’s love. Thank Jesus for dying for you while you were a sinner. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live every moment in awe of the magnitude of God’s love. Ask Him to help you live a life that showcases your thankfulness for what He has done for you.
SHARING ••• Please share with others! Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. ***Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
