No Matter the Distance
Well despite not being a Backstreet Boys fan at all, this song has ended up giving me a lot to think about, and I hope you have enjoyed the insights I brought forward this week.
Going on to the last verse we hear these words:
Now I can see that we're fallin' apart
From the way that it used to be, yeah
No matter the distance, I want you to know
That deep down inside of me
You are my fire, the one desire
You are (You are, you are, you are)
Those words about “no matter the distance” have given me hope, as I’ve listened to this. Because remember earlier in the song it spoke of being “two worlds apart”, and we noted that heartache and mistakes or sins can often put distance between us and God. But the good news is that no matter the distance that exists between us and God, He want us to know that we can come back.
Return to God
This reminds me very much of Jesus’ parable of the lost son, who insisted on getting his inheritance while his father was alive, and went off and wasted it all in a faraway land of sin. But when he came to his senses, he decided to take a journey back to His father’s home where he would say a big speech of how sorry he was, and resign himself to the punishment his father gave. But I love what Jesus says here in the story, Luke 15:20 says “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
A long way off. Distance. Two worlds apart! But when the son turned back towards the father’s home and walked back towards the father, the distance closed up, as the father ran out to meet the son.
You may be a far way from God, two worlds apart even. But if you turn around and begin to come back to God, He says “no matter the distance… I want you to know… that deep down inside of me… I love you and will welcome you back.”
And He runs to meet you with open arms!
And then we hear the opening words again: you are my fire, the one desire, you are! You are! If you come back to your Father, your God, no matter the distance, He will welcome you and become your fire and your desire again.
Step Toward God
Don’t let the distance stop you. Now sure, once you’ve received the Father’s forgiveness, there is still work to be done. The Christian walk is an ongoing process of self-discipline and faith, and that will not be easy. But it starts with just a step back towards God. How willing He is to forgive and throw His arms around you, no matter the distance.
Friends a secular song with no intention of pleasing God can still lead you to Him if you seek Him in the words. Perhaps you might start asking God to speak to you through ordinary songs, and perhaps He will begin to reveal Himself in profound ways in the most unlikely places – like in a Backstreet Boys song.
