Ready to Listen

I am pulling lyrics from a song to illustrate today's blog.  JJ Keller wrote, "What love really means."  This song speaks of three separate scenarios.  Even if none of the stories she presents are identical to our own, we can all identify with wanting "real love".  The first stanza of the song speaks of a young boy, "the kid with the story no one would believe."  How many young people have these stories?  Children who are fearful, hurting, unloved, confused and needing love.  I'm reminded of the story/testimony of evangelist Tony Nolan.  He was adopted because his mother didn't want him.  His adoptive parents bought him for a minimal price.  As a small boy, he was told he wasn't worth the price they paid for him.  Fortunately, he now knows his worth in Christ.  http://tonynolan.org/fuel/hurt_healer/

The second stanza is about a woman who's husband didn't love her.  She battles with how she can change so she can be loved.  She's trying to be something she isn't.  Some women will compromise their souls, all for the sake of needing to feel loved.  I'm reminded of the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus encounters.  After she meets with Jesus, the Samaritan woman's spirit is enlightened, accelerated, and illuminated by Jesus. She now realizes what it means to take freely of the water of life, which is the spiritual refreshment that comes into her soul after her encounter and confession with Jesus. Not only was she impressed that Jesus knew all her sins, but she was also given the opportunity to have those sins forgiven. She believes he is truly the Messiah, the Anointed One. She repents of her past misdeeds and goes back to tell her family, friends, and neighbors how she met Jesus and how he revealed his knowledge of her sins and his offer of live-giving water, which brings eternal life. She went on to lead many conversions in this area through her zeal and love for God (John 4:39–42).  One might think this is where my heart would land.  It makes sense, because I was in a bad marriage in my younger years.  However, this isn't where the Lord speaks to me in this song.  It is in the final stanza.

The song ends speaking of a prisoner in a cell -
 
"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 wanna go home”

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside
And it said “I know you’ve murdered
And I know you’ve lied
And I've 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"

It is here in these words, where I find myself.  I'm reminded of a time in my life when I needed to feel loved and was tired of suffering.  I was living in a cell called the ways of this world.  How God must have looked down upon me and wanted so much more for me - more than I could fathom.  It was at this time of brokenness I too, like the prisoner, cried from the depths of my soul, "Oh Lord, forgive me".  He knew everything I had ever thought or done.  He knew every tear I had cried.  He knew all those long nights, I suffered.  And in His beautiful way, He said to me, "I've watched you suffer and now that you'll listen, I'll tell you that I will love you for you".  Suffering is sometimes the pathway we must take to finally stop and listen to the Lord. 

Some of us have difficult childhoods we are still trying to overcome, some are struggling to find love by being something they aren't and some are being held captive in a cell of sin and in need of a Savior.  Sometimes we don't realize we need out of that cell until suffering finds us - and suffering ALWAYS follows sin.  When we are hurting and ready to finally listen to the powerful and loving word of God, He gentlyspeaks, "I will love you for you and give you a love, a love that you never knew."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWf-XehllA