Song Spotlight - "Love Me"

Song Title: Love Me
Artist: JJ Heller
Album: Only Love Remains
Writer: JJ Heller

He cries in the corner where nobody sees
He’s the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, “Dear God won’t you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?”

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day
She’s the woman whose husband has run away
She’ll go to the gym after working today
Maybe if she was thinner
Then he would’ve stayed
And she says…

Who will love me for me?
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me?
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love, what love really means

He’s waiting to die as he sits all alone
He’s a man in a cell who regrets what he’s done
He utters a cry from the depths of his soul
“Oh Lord, forgive me, I want to go home”

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside
And it said
“I know you’ve murdered and I know you’ve lied
I have watched you suffer all of your life
And now that you’ll listen, I’ll tell you that I...”

I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew

Audio Sample: HERE or HERE or FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD

Why This Song: Ah, how great it is to finally be back in town for church! After a month of being out of town, we were greeted this morning by yet more guest worship leaders -- JJ and Dave Heller this time. Though worship consisted of all Christmas songs, during the offering, JJ busted this song out that left half the congregation either in tears (my wife) or fighting back tears (me). And people even clapped. Wow. Clapping after an individual performance...very rare. Anyway, as I sat down tonight trying to the impossible and write about the love of God in a few words, I couldn't get this song out of my mind or stopped on Media Player (for very good reasons). A lot of times when I sit down to write, I have a hard time being simple. Rarely do I have the gift of a simple mind. But this song does a great job of speaking to the love of God very simply.

Why I Like It: JJ just happens to sing my favorite type of music (some sort of God-glorifying acoustic folk rock), and I had never heard of her until today. But she can really sing. But a lot of people can sing well, but I don't care for what they sing about. What this song does a great job of in my opinion is relaying the outstanding truth that God actually loves for who we are, in spite of our imperfect love, in spite of our filth, in spite of our deeply rooted wickedness and selfishness -- in spite of the fact that our sin caused him to be separated from his only Son. It also portrays a sad truth that human beings can be very cruel and unloving people --- even Christians! A sweet picture of forgiveness is also painted. Forgiveness is just one small part of God's love. It's so big. Again, the lyrics alone can't do this song justice. Listen to it. Download it. Enjoy it.

Related Scripture: Romans 5:7-9, Romans 8:38-39

Favorite Line: "I will love you for you, Not for what you have done or what you will become" -- a very simple but effective way to say that God's love is unconditional. It does not depend on what we have done and will not depend on what we will do. We cannot make God love us more or less. It is what it is. And God is love.