My Love Story (1 > 99)

Have you ever heard a song that you really resonated with? Maybe a song that describes your exact situation, good or bad. Or maybe describes exactly how you feel and you didn’t know how to put into words what you felt until you heard that song. A ton of songs come to mind for me. There are break up songs, songs that remind me of basketball trips, or old memories with old best friends. I feel like I have a memory for every song. I can’t be the only one on this one… you can’t tell me you don’t resonate with at least one Beyoncé song…. Especially her album lemonade…. Yeah.

I want to share about my favorite song currently. It describes my story exactly and when listening to the lyrics breaks me to tears. Not necessarily in a sad way, but just in an overwhelming way that this song brings out exactly the love story that I have.

If you didn’t know (based on the title of my blog) I am absolutely completely in over my head, totally in adoration and fully in love with Jesus Christ. It hasn’t always been like this and there will probs be a movie that comes out later on in life about my love story, but the way I used to love the feeling after a hard workout, or the love I had (and still have) for my adorable puppy, or the love I had for feeling appreciated, or even bigger, the love I have for my younger sister, it’s like I love Jesus more. I actually get excited to spend time with Jesus (#LoveLanguage). It’s not because I know “I am supposed to” or because that is how I was raised, but because I actually experienced Christ’s love in my darkest moment. I am not going to pretend like it’s always perfect and I am always on fire for the Lord, but that’s a part of the love story. Even when I am not on fire and pursuing God, He is always and absolutely with a burning passion on fire for me and pursuing me.

So, with my genuine expression of my heart and how I fall short, I want to share the words of a song that I heard a few months ago as I was going through a time in life that I felt stuck, confused, angry, and resistant.

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me

And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me

Scripture this song is based off of:

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The very start of this verse shows that Christ didn’t come to hang out with “perfect” Christians and have their own little bubble with leather journals and highlighted Bibles (which I love the leather journals, they feel so nice, am I rite?) But, no Jesus was with tax collectors, who in this time were some of the most hated people because they stole portions of money from people and were not trusted. Scripture distinctly says “and sinners” so like, probably people like my sister lol. The Pharisees were your typical self-righteous “law abiding” annoying, judgmental, rule followers. You know like that one girl in your elementary class who always reminded the teacher y’all had homework? I just imagine a Pharisee would do this… like come on. So the Pharisees were gossiping about Jesus, “How could He hang out with sinners.. people who can’t be trusted and with bad reputations? Is he for real? You good Jesus?”

So, this is what I love about Jesus. He never defends himself or feels the need to be defensive. Instead, he tells stories. I think one thing that connects me and Jesus so well is definitely the stories he tells and making things into analogies. If you know me, you know I make any and every situation into an analogy that makes sense mainly for myself, but for others so they can better understand what is trying to be said. I believe this is what Jesus did. So, a parable is a story.

He tells the story of a shepherd who has one hundred sheep. If he were to lose one, the shepherd would leave the ninety-nine to go after the lost sheep until he found it. And when he finds that sheep, he puts it on his shoulders (joyfully, not in disappointment, not patronizing, not condescending, but joyfully) and goes home. Then he calls everyone and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep!” In the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over the one sinner who went off the path, became addicted to drugs, or committed adultery, or hurt others, or got into an unhealthy relationship, or made a sport their idol, or found identity in wealth or a person, who filled voids with girls, or did anything for attention from guys, or became promiscuous, who later found the love of Jesus in their darkest moment and repents, than over ninety-nine self-righteous, judgmental, self-seeking people who believe they do not need to repent.

Fill in your blank, you’re the sheep. Whatever it is or was that made you stray off the path and get lost, be comforted in finding out in this very moment that the Creator of the UNIVERSE is doing everything He can to get you back. He wants your love and He only wants to show you grace through your turmoil. You’re never too far gone. You’re situation is never hopeless. There is always purpose and hope with God. If you’re reading this right now, it’s not by coincidence. God wants your attention and He wants a relationship with you!

The lines of the song,

“There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me”

Resonated strongly with me. I have always had the insecurity of people leaving me in some shape or form. I have never had someone love me to the extent that they’d do whatever, go through whatever, even to the point of sacrificing their life just for me, for my love. (Yes mom I know you’d do anything ok don’t be offended, chill). Isn’t it humbling, like super overwhelming that the GOD who created every living thing and created the universe.. a being so big and massive that you’re like a tiny ant, but not only does He notice you, He knows you, He knows every detail about you (bc he created you, hon) and He wants an intimate [closely acquainted; familiar, close] relationship with YOU. I mean really take a moment and think about that. How insane is that? And yet we reject Him, we go our own ways, we do our own things. We ignore the fact that our Creator is available and free to us every moment of every day. If you really break down this scripture, you can’t help but feel anything but loved.

This is what the writer of the song says about his story in writing “Reckless Love”.

When I use the phrase, “the reckless love of God”, I’m not saying that God Himself is reckless. I am, however, saying that the way He loves, is in many regards, quite so. What I mean is this: He is utterly unconcerned with the consequences of His actions with regards to His own safety, comfort, and well-being. His love isn’t crafty or slick. It’s not cunning or shrewd. In fact, all things considered, it’s quite childlike, and might I even suggest, sometimes downright ridiculous. His love bankrupted heaven for you. His love doesn’t consider Himself first. His love isn’t selfish or self-serving. He doesn’t wonder what He’ll gain or lose by putting Himself out there. He simply gives Himself away on the off-chance that one of us might look back at Him and offer ourselves in return. 

His love leaves the ninety-nine to find the one every time. To many practical adults, that’s a foolish concept. “But what if he loses the ninety-nine in search of the one?” What if? Finding that one lost sheep is, and will always be, supremely important.

His love isn’t cautious. No, it’s a love that sent His Own Son to die a gruesome death on a cross. There’s no “Plan B” with the love of God. He gives His heart so completely, so preposterously, that if refused, most would consider it irreparably broken. Yet He gives Himself away again. The recklessness of His love is seen most clearly in this – it gets Him hurt over and over. Make no mistake, our sin pains His heart. And “70 times 7” is a lot of times to have Your heart broken. Yet He opens up and allows us in every time. His love saw you when you hated Him – when all logic said, “They’ll reject me”, He said, “I don’t care if it kills me. I’m laying My heart on the line.” 

To get personal, His love saw me, a broken down kid with regret as deep as the ocean; My innocence and youth poured out like water. Yet, He saw fit to use me for His kingdom because He’s just that kind. I didn’t earn it and I sure as heck don’t deserve it, but He’s just that good. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.

Link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xx0d3R2LoU&app=desktop

LISTEN TO ENTIRE THING!!

So what the heck are you waiting for?! Stop searching for happiness or a void to be filled by things that leave you empty and deprived every time. Find security and be filled by Christ! Leave your old life behind, you’re made for something so much greater. You’ll never regret this decision, promise.

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