http://whyimcatholic.com/index.php/conversion-stories/atheist-converts/item/96-atheist-convert-rj-stove

I am somewhat hesitant to post this, but here goes: I have a real issue with this song and I’ll tell you why in the nicest way that I can.

The songwriter evidently was trying to communicate the message of the “Giver” being infinitely more valuable than the “Gift or Gifts” which is true however, the choice of words, unfortunately, is causing believers everywhere to declare a statement that is really untrue.

No one on earth “wants” only God, no one. That person was Jesus. Even the disciples declared wants and needs. There is a big difference. Remember Peter made a similar declaration of “his own love and devotion” (as this song does) to Jesus when he said, “Though all forsake you, I will remain.” Then Jesus brought him back down to Earth quite directly informing him of his own heart’s weakness. Peter was to be directly tested after making such a declaration. “We don’t want blessings we want you!” sounds so romantic and lovey dovey, something my wife would LOVE for me to say to her daily. Something that is uttered between lovers in Hollywood dialogue on the screen constantly but is such a thing true? No. You see, we DO “want” blessings: health, life, friends, family, nourishment, water, peace…all of these things are “blessings” so we sing “we don’t want health…food…water…shelter…we want You!” sounds Hollywood romantic, but God knows we want these things and Jesus Himself said that the Father “knows we have need of these things” so to sing that to Him and think it blesses him as a sweet aroma (what worship has the capacity to do) is really just self-deception.

We do want blessings, but we “should” mostly want the Lord. If the songwriter were to switch up the word to “need” I would have little issue with it. We don’t “need” anything but You. That is a true statement through and through and I could sing that at the top of my voice. I think if someone sings “I don’t ‘want’ anything but You” they are either deceiving themselves or attempting to woo God by deceiving Him with empty romantic words. More the former than the latter I’m quite sure.

There are plenty of these “self extolling” songs of love for God like the one that goes, “I’m yours Lord, everything I’ve got, everything I am Lord and everything I’m not. I’m yours Lord, try me now and see…see if I can be completely yours.” HORRIBLE
song — it declares the greatness of one’s own faithfulness and devotion to the Lord, not of the devotion and faithfulness of God Almighty. AND…it cries out for testing which Jesus directly told us to ask the Father to not “put us to the test” when we pray! So why do I sing a song that is horribly unscriptural yet gooey with human romantic words that Jesus is supposed to swoon over?

Here is the bottom line to my little point: Whenever I sing something that is untrue…I can count on being tested in that thing shortly after. I just want people to know what it is they are singing and that they just might find themselves in the same place as Peter soon after “wholeheartedly” and publicly declaring it.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Andrew
truthforsaints.com