Music

I Do Choose You

Downloadable Chord Charts

Song Story

One night as I was lying on my bed, I was whining to God. I was asking, “Why don’t you do something?” And I felt God ask me, “Did you forget what I already did?” God then led me through a scenario that changed my thinking a lot. If a young man rescued a “damsel in distress” at the risk of his own life, how would he feel if she never thanked him? What if the “damsel” was a girl that he loved but she never thanked him?

We do this very thing to Jesus. So often I fail to remember what Jesus did for me. He traded His life for mine, sacrificing Himself. And we are supposed to be His bride? Do we offer Him anything more than a simple, “Hey thanks, buddy! I hope that didn’t cause You too much trouble…” Jesus was willing to offer His life in place of ours because He is totally in love with us. He wants to be more than friends. He wants us to be His bride, and He wants to be our hero.

What amazes me even more is this: I might risk my life to save some gorgeous girl who needed help—especially if I was in love with her. But who would risk themselves for someone whom they thought was unattractive or someone who had wronged them over and over? There are some people we might consider dying for to save them—maybe—but certainly not our enemies. But that is exactly what Jesus did.

Paul commands us, “Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of ‘the brightest and the best’ among you” (1 Corinthians 1:26, The Message). So what do I think is so amazing about myself that Jesus would give Himself for me? There really is nothing I can think of. I have failed more times than I care to think about. The Bible makes it clear that "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6, NIV). It says, "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless" (Romans 3:10-12). That was my identity. But “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Message puts it this way:
“We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him” (v. 6-8).

I am undone when I think of the love God has poured out on me—as He literally poured out His blood so that He could have me. Where can I find love like this? In Jesus' blood is written the greatest marriage proposal of all time. He has fully pledged His love and commitment to us. How will we respond? I can only humbly accept, saying with all of my being, "Lord, I do, I do choose You!"

Lyrics

I Do Choose You
Words and music by John Gabriel Arends

What do You see in me
That You would pay my penalty?
You came and willingly died
My freedom cost You Your life

I have found true love at last
Love with nail scars in His hands
Love that was not frightened by the grave
All I know I count as loss
Compared to knowing You, Jesus
And love that looks like a cross

You’re my hero, and I will not forget
How You saved me and You called me Your friend
But You’re longing for so much more
Intimacy is what You died for
When You ask me to be Your bride
I will say “Yes!”—kiss the world goodbye
Before anything or anyone that I could choose
Lord, I do, I do choose You
Lord, I do, I do choose You