He doesn’t love us ’cause of who we are…

…He only loves us ’cause of who He is.

I hate to admit my love of old school contemporary (please tell me you think that’s funny) music, but I have recently unearthed my collection of Newsboys’ CDs. Remember Love, Liberty, Disco? Yep. It may not have been my favorite, but it had one especially amazing song: “I Surrender All.” I know that most of your are probably shaking your heads and muttering that I’ve lost all my indie cred, but I guess I’ll just have to deal with that. Despite my desire to be one of those aloof, music Nazis, I think it’s much more important that I am able to hear God speaking to me even in “lesser” forms of music.

I tend to play this song on my iPod only when I’m trying to provoke an emotional and spiritual moment. Basically, I know that I suck as a Christian, but I’m trying to inspire a teary-eyed remorse that I’m sure will convince God I’m sorry. However, last night one line really grabbed me. I surrender all to the promises You made. It was especially eye… um… ear-catching (?) because I came across the same idea in the Romans commentary I’m reading for class. The author makes the point that the reason we are able to have faith is not because we are faith-full but because the One in whom we have faith is faithful. Maybe that’s confusing–let me explain… Abraham had faith not because that was a part of his character but because God is able to be trusted (it is in His character to be so). The only reason I can trust God is because I know He is trustworthy.

As for the song, I can apply this in my times of sacrifice, just as Abraham did. He left his home to go to a strange land–all because God had called him to. Why was he able to do this? I mean, didn’t Abraham realize that he was leaving his family and all that he was familiar with behind? Yes! But he also knew the promises that God had made to him. And because God was faithful, he knew that those promises would be fulfilled. With this is mind, Abraham was able to surrender to God’s call. How could I not do the same? God is just as faithful today and He was then. I have no reason to fear.