Never Been Unloved

As most of you know, I am a great fan of old songs and hymns. For me, most contemporary songs do not have the poetic language nor the depth of theological content, that these great hymns do (not to mention four-part harmonies and tap-your-toe tempos). However, there are times when I come across a modern song whose words are truly powerful, truly poetic, and deeply theological. That is the case with this week’s song. I hope that you can forgive me for including this song as the “Hymn of the week” because I recognize you won’t find it in the Red-back or the Hymns of the Spirit. I realize you won’t see it in the Broadman or Cokesbury hymnal either. But I hope that you recognize that God is still inspiring men and women of our day to write powerful new songs. I hope that you read these words with an open mind and sensitive heart, and I pray that you are blessed by them.

I have been unfaithful
I have been unworthy
I have been unrighteous
And I have been unmerciful

I have been unreachable
I have been unteachable
I have been unwilling
And I’ve been undesirable

And sometimes I have been unwise
I’ve been undone by what I’m unsure of
But because of you
And all that you went through
I know that I have never been unloved

I have been unbroken
I have been unmended
I have been uneasy
And I’ve been unapproachable

I’ve been unemotional
I’ve been unexceptional
I’ve been undecided
And I have been unqualified

Unaware – I have been unfair
I’ve been unfit for blessings from above
But even I can see
The sacrifice You made for me
To show that I have never been unloved

Written by Michael W. Smith, this song came on the radio a few days ago shortly after I had heard a sermon on Romans Chapter 5.  The verse that tied into this song was verse 6 which reads in the NIV “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”   “Ungodly,” however, was the one “un” word that Michael W. Smith didn’t use in his song, but it is the one word that covers all the “un” words he did use.  You see to be “unfaithful” is to be “ungodly.”  To be “unmerciful” is to be “ungodly.”  But just as Paul reminds us that while we were still ungodly, Christ died for us, we can also be confident that while we were still unmerciful, unfaithful, uneasy, unemotional, and unworthy, Christ died for us.  He loved us so much that even in a state of “un”-ness, He died for us.  What a powerful truth!!!

Proverbs 3:5 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  So what is your own “un-derstanding?”

Do you see yourself as one who was worthy of God’s grace on your own merit?  When you read the lyrics of this song, do you find yourself saying “I can’t relate?”  I hope you don’t have that “un-derstanding.”  All of us are “un-worthy” and “un-faithful” and “un-kind.”  We have no merit on our own.  We are “un-exceptional” and “un-desirable” and “un-qualified.”   If we don’t feel that way, we are leaning on our own wrong “un-derstanding.”

Or, are you on the other end of this spectrum and have a different “mis-un-derstanding?”  Because of what you have done in your past, or what you have done against the Lord even today, do you find yourself wondering if you are truly loved?  Can you relate to all the words of this song, except for the phrase “I know that I have never been unloved?”  That too, is a wrong “un-derstanding.”  God loves us.  Not matter what.  Not matter when.  He loves us with an everlasting love.  He loves with an undying love.  His love endures forever.  You may have been unloved by a parent, a spouse, or a friend.  You may have felt love years ago, but feel like you are all alone with no one to love you now.  But the reality is you have never been unloved by God.  Ephesians 2:4-5 says “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” The Bible reminds us that when we were sinners, we were loved.  When we joined His family, we were loved.  When we are on top of the world and all is well, we are loved.  And when we feel like we are at our wit’s end, we are still loved.

I have attached a YouTube video of this song.  I will warn you in advance.  It has some graphic images from the movie “Passion of the Christ” and therefore if you would be uncomfortable with those images, please don’t watch this video.  But if you do watch it, I think you will find the words of the song and the images on the screen a powerful encouragement and a powerful reminder that you have never been unloved.