Like the ocean waves...

The ocean has always been a place where I am reminded of God's love for me.  For as long as I can remember, I recall thinking while standing in the ocean waters that God's love is like the ocean waves - always coming at me, surrounding me, refreshing me, renewing me, restoring me.

A song that has been out there for awhile finally caught my attention.  I do not know why it is that some songs catch my attention and others do not.  I also do not know why some songs catch my attention and not others and vice versa.  Music always eludes concrete definitions.  In many ways, my relationship with a song is like a relationship with a friend or person.  I may meet someone or talk with someone but there comes a time when the relationship transitions from a random name to a known person.  I experience songs like this...

The song that transitioned from "something on Pandora" to a friend is "Your Love Is A Song" by Switchfoot.  I'm sure that this song is old for everyone else but for me it is fresh and it stirs my soul.

Here are the lyrics:
I hear you breathing in

Another day begins
The stars are falling out
My dreams are fading now, fading out

I've been keeping my eyes wide open
I've been keeping my eyes wide open

Your love is a symphony
All around me, running through me
Your love is a melody
Underneath me, running to me

Oh, your love is a song

The dawn is fire bright
Against the city lights
The clouds are glowing now
The moon is blacking out, is blacking out

So I've been keeping my mind wide open
I've been keeping my mind wide open, yeah

Your love is a symphony
All around me, running to me
Your love is a melody
Underneath me, and into me

Oh, your love is a song
Your love is a song
Oh, your love is a song
Your love is strong

With my eyes wide open
I've got my eyes wide open
I've been keeping my hopes unbroken
Yeah, yeah


As I have been listening to this song, God has brought the Bible passage 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to my mind.  This is the "famous love passage" that is often read at weddings.  The lyric "I've been keeping my hopes unbroken" triggered this connection. 

I reread 1 Corinthians 13 this morning but I substituted "God" for "love" in the passage based on the 1 John 4:8 description of "God is love."

Here is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 with that exchange:

God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, God does not boast, God is not proud.  
God is not rude, God is not self-seeking, God is not easily angered, God keeps no record of wrongs.
God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 
God always protects, God always trusts, God always hopes, God always perseveres. 
God never fails.


God's love is song...  Your love is a symphony, all around me, running to me, your love is a melody underneath me, and into me...

How do you experience God as love that comes to you like the ocean waves?

How do you experience God's love like a symphony, a beautiful masterpiece of music around you, coming to you, underneath you, moving you?

My soul is moved by this song...

My soul is transformed by Jesus who shows us and relates to us as the God of 1 Corinthians 13 (and the entire Bible's love song) who is love...


Go ahead, reread 1 Corinthians 13 and listen to "Love is a Song" and turn it up!