Pieces

I’ve been steeping in the Bethel “Have it All” album as of late. There are a couple of songs on there that speak directly to my heart, and it’s as if the writers met with me first, examined my heart and wrote those thoughts, feelings and yearnings out. I assure you they did not, but some of the lyrics just hit me right in the center.

One of those songs is “Pieces” by Steffany Gretzinger. I hope you’ve heard it. If not, please stop reading this blog right now and go download it. (that will most likely be the only time I tell you to stop reading my blog…)

I love this song because, to me, it flips any worldly notion of love upside down on its head, and it invites us to think about God’s love in terms that we may not typically use. We know from The Word that “God IS love, and that love is from God.”

From the very first verse the Lord’s love is described as “wild, unashamed and proud to be seen with me.” I usually get so caught up in thought at that point that I end up having to start the song over because I miss the next verses and choruses. For me, typically the word “wild” conjures up images of undomesticated animals, or uncivilized people with no control or restrain. So when I would try to put my Father’s love for me in that context, I couldn’t grasp the relation. If you read my blogs, you know I love looking up the definitions of words, so of course I looked up the word “wild”. One of the definitions is “very enthusiastic or excited”. Have you ever met a couple who just seemed so in love that they garnered a reaction from on-lookers like, “Wow! They are just wild about each other!” I think about my Father saying this about me and about you: “Wow! I am just so excited about the fact that I have a relationship with you! I am wild about you!” Then I think about just how far He went to express His love for us; how much He gave so that we could receive. Wild love is a beautiful love.

Then the thought that He is proud to be seen with me. Once again, I try to put it in a context that I understand, so I think about my precious daughter, Abby. I am so proud of that girl. She is not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. She is passionate and loyal, and so creative. She is definitely one that thinks outside the box, I mean, WAY outside the box, and it is an inspiring thing to witness. She is always thinking of new ways for things to be done, and will rarely use something for its original purpose. She is very resourceful and always gets the job done. See how I went on there? I really am proud of her! And when we go places, I am very proud to be seen with her. I’m proud to be her Mom. And not in a puffed up, prideful way. I’m proud that God saw fit to put her in my hands. I’m proud of the person she is becoming and I want people to experience the gifts God has put inside of her. She is a true blessing to those God has put in our lives and I know she will do great things for the Kingdom. And those of you with children, I’m sure you share the same sentiments about your children as I just shared about Abby. I think about how I feel about Abby and I know that God feels that way about us as His children (although I admit it is hard for me to wrap my brain around that). He is very aware of the gifts He has placed in us and He is proud of us when we use them for His glory. He thinks we are beautiful inside and out and He wants people to know we belong to Him. If He could walk with me now, in human form, I just know He would put his arm around me and His face would beam, as He says, “She’s one of mine!”

The chorus of the song is so simple: “You don’t give Your heart in pieces, You don’t hide Yourself to tease us.” Immediately I think of earthly relationships, even ones in my past and I recall how it feels to be with someone who has not given their whole heart, and only invests “pieces” of themselves into the relationship. Someone who hides part of who they are and keeps us guessing as to the status of their heart toward us.

Oh but not our Father. Our Father is all in. He gives the whole thing. Everything He had, He gave to us in the form of Jesus. And to this day He continues to pour out Himself, all of Himself, to those who will receive it. Let us follow suit and give Him all that we are. Let us not hold “pieces” of ourselves that we want to keep from Him. Let us give it all to Him, so we in turn can love others from a position of wholeness. Let’s learn to love wildly like our Father.