SOTD 12/9/09: Dirty and Left Out

Song of the Day today is Dirty and Left Out by The Almost. This song is a quieter one for the band, but it is so perfect for them. As you may be able to gather from the lyrics, this song is about seeking forgiveness from God for the wrongs you've done. It serves as a confessional for Aaron Gillespie (from The Almost). He has talked about writing this song in response to the guilt that he felt from having pre-marital sex with his wife before they were married.

Now, that is probably not an area where you are struggling and I can tell you that it is not an area where I am struggling. However, the questions still remain: Why, God, do You want a relationship with me? Why do you care so much about me? I have turned my back on you so many times. Why do you still open up Your arms for me and long for me to embrace You? I am covered with dirt! I have walked away from You and rubbed dirt on myself (metaphorically, of course). Why in the world would you want to have an intimate relationship with such a person as me?

This song serves as a confessional for me as well, to ask all of those questions of God. Because really, any person who understands the weight of their sin, or even realizes that they have done 'bad things' wonders why a God so powerful would want to even look at us, let alone embrace us and love us.

The answer can be found in John 13. At the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. That alone has profound implications. But in verse 6, Peter asks Jesus why he is washing their feet. In verse 8, Jesus tells Peter "If I do not was you, you have no part with me." The same applies to us. All of the dirt and muck covering us prevents us from having true, intimate relationship with Christ. He wants to draw us close to Him because He wants to wash that dirt off of us. He can't do that from standing back. Well, He probably could. But as evidenced by John 13, He chooses not to! He chooses to come close to us and wash us by hand. He works on us.

So when we tell God that we are dirty and ask Him why He wants to embrace us, we know that it is because He wants to clean us off so we can share in an intimate relationship with Him.



Hello, I swear I won't be too long
Hello, I promise I'll be real strong
Wait up, I just wanna tell you
Hold up, why are you still here?

I've been dirtier than you wanna know
I've left earlier than you'll ever know

Why do you wanna be all listening to me
Why do you spread your arms and tell me I'm free
Why do you wanna be in my life
In my life

I've been dirtier than you wanna know
I've left earlier than you'll ever know

Jesus, Jesus
There's something about your name
Master, saviour, Jesus

I've been dirtier than you wanna know
I've left earlier than you'll ever know
Jesus
Jesus