In today’s culture, detached from God, the idea of love is a bit sad. It’s a slow-motion train wreck, a subtle destruction. The worst part is how everyone in the audience celebrates and elevates this cataclysmic attempt to “feel good” and “do what’s best for you”, only to abandon the victims in favor of the next best romantic hype. It is volatile, unstable and unable to stand the test of time.
This is most easily depicted in today’s film and music industries, where scenes and lyrics are saturated with self-centered pursuits, whether for sex, fame, or both, but calling it all love.
We need more, we are made for more. This satisfaction of the soul, that which lasts, is found only in the scandalous and unconditional love of Christ. So if you need to focus on authentic, healthy love this Valentine’s Day, consider adding these ten songs to your playlist:
1. Reckless Love by Cory Asbury
“Reckless Love” came out while I was struggling with undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder. This song has been a true lifeline for me, a powerful reminder that in the midst of my most brutal struggles, even the most invisible and unspeakable, God’s love prevails. He fights when I’m too excited to fight, defends when I’m helpless, and stands in the gap when I find it easier to give in to the lies of the world.
As the bridge states, “There is no shadow you will not lighten, the mountain you will not climb, coming after me, there is no wall you will not tear down, lie you will not tear down, coming after me.”
His love is always victorious.
2. How big you are
This beloved hymn always brings the house down, spiritually of course. It is an unstoppable reminder that God’s loving sacrifice compels us to live in fear of who He is. We have no choice but to marvel at His beauty and the glory He invites us to share in.
Verse three specifically speaks to this: “And when I think that God, his Son, did not spare him, but sent him to die, I find it hard to understand that on the cross, joyfully bearing my burden, he bled and died to take away my sin. »
Radical love leaves us no choice but to say, “How great you are.”
3. Out of Hiding by Steffany Gretzinger
Steffany Gretzinger is, easily, my favorite Christian songwriter and singer. His song “Out of Hiding” is a balm for a sinner who, although saved by grace, still struggles with shame.
Consider these words: “Because I loved you before you knew it was love, And I saw everything, yet I chose the cross, And you were the one I thought of as I rose from the grave, Now freed from the chains, my victory is yours, I have torn the veil for you to come near, There is no longer any reason to keep you at a distance, you are not far from home.”
Each part of this song offers listeners a beautiful, sweet, and worthwhile message of God’s free forgiveness, no matter what anyone has done.
4. Promises from Maverick City Music
The live version of this song is glorious, as a chorus of ordinary people gather to praise God with these spontaneous words:
“I put my faith in Jesus, my anchor, my hope and my strong foundation. He will never let me down.”
God’s love is the only thing that can give meaning to our hearts, whether they are happy or heavy. What a promise to know that His love will keep us grounded, no matter what.
5. How deep is the Father’s love for us
My church sings this hymn often, and it is nothing short of a peaceful remedy for a heart tired of trying:
“I will not boast of anything, Nor of gifts, nor of power, nor of wisdom, But I will boast of Jesus ChristHis death and resurrection, Why should I have his reward?, I cannot answer, but this I know with all my heart, his wounds have paid my ransom.
What a beautiful reminder to rest in God’s sacrifice, for nothing we do or do will change His love for us.
6. The blessing, Kari Jobe
I have no doubt that God knew his people needed this song just as the world was going through a global pandemic. It was such a calm to my anxious soul, leaving me completely in awe of God’s presence, even in impossible situations.
One of my favorite parts sings: “Let his presence go before you, and behind you, and beside you, all around you and in you, he is with you, he is with you, in the morning, in the evening, in your coming and your going, in your weeping and your joy, he is for you.”
The only answer to such a loving truth? Well, as the song says, “Amen.”
7. You are beautiful by Phil Wickham
“You’re Beautiful” is the song that sustained me after losing my grandfather. He was my world, the one in whose honor I named my eldest son. Phil Wickham’s words reminded me that God’s love restores all that is lost, even in another life. And this restoration is so rich, so powerful, and so glorious that it is worth the heartbreaking wait.
“When we come to the shore of eternity, where death is but a memory and tears are no more, we will enter as the wedding bells ring, your bride will gather and we will sing: You are beautiful.”
One day, when God restores all that has been lost, we will have no choice but to humbly and joyfully exclaim, “You are beautiful.”
8. Come, you, source of every blessing
I was first drawn to this song when I heard it sung in the Christian Hallmark movie, Love Comes Softly. His words have resonated in my heart and mind ever since, especially the last verse, which reads:
“O grace, what a great debtor I am daily forced to be! May this grace now, like a fetter, bind to you my wandering heart. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel, inclined to leave the God whom I love; here is my heart; take it and seal it, seal it for your courts above.”
There are difficult times in my life when I recognize that my faith is wavering, and this hymn is such an encouraging reminder that no matter how far I stray, no matter what deception my heart pursues, the love of Christ has sealed me to Him forever.
9. My Jesus, I love you
This old hymn is a faithful reminder that Christ first loved us. Even though He knew we would rebel against His love and resist Him, He chose the cross. His love compelled him to die, and in that we find the fulfillment and peace our souls desperately yearn for.
Notice verse two: “I love you because you first loved me and purchased my forgiveness on Calvary’s tree; I love you because you bear the thorns on your forehead; If ever I loved you, my Jesus, it is now. »
Jesus always chose to love us, and we are led to do the same!
10. Defender, Francesca Battistelli
Francesca Battistelli’s music was exactly what my student heart needed, and even today, her lyrics from “Defender” ring true:
“You leave before I know, That you even left to win my war, You return with the head of my enemy, You return, and You call it my victory… When I thought I was lost, you knew where I left myself. You brought me back into Your love, You picked up all my pieces. Put me back together. You are the defender of my heart.”
Praise God for His love, which never leaves us where we are, but always challenges us and grows us, defending us from Satan’s attacks along the way. Truly, our God is the ultimate warrior.
Sing during the holidays
Valentine’s Day doesn’t always mean red roses and chocolates. Sometimes it’s heartbreak, heartbreak, and disappointed expectations. Sometimes it’s a harsh reality check: the world’s idea of love never leaves you satisfied. So whether your holiday is heavy or pleasant, I pray that the words of these songs will keep you tethered to Love Itself.
