The "Reckless Love of God"

Video choices, Teaching possibilities, Discussion questions

Cory Asbury's "Reckless Love" speaks directly of the story of the Lost Sheep and the 99. It is also one of the most popular contemporary Christian songs of 2018, winning the CMA worship song of the year and becoming part of the standard rotation in many contemporary worship circles. When I first heard it, it resonated with my experience and belief in the One who never gives up. To me, the term "reckless" is understood as extravagant and unexpected.  Unconditional love might indeed seem "reckless" and unfair to those who believe they deserve their salvation. 

There are several music videos of it. I've linked to three versions of it posted to YouTube and embedded one here for a quick look.

(1) A lyric version created by a fan that includes the lyrics, images, and the scripture. That's the version I've embedded below. ⇓

(2) One showing a group of soldiers singing it in an outdoor worship.

(3) A 'live' version with lyrics showing the artist and a friend singing it on a stage (the more visually interesting of the three).

Teaching possibilities

(1) What would the reckless God of love chasing you look like?  Split into groups of 2 or 3 and have each present a "freeze frame" of what they think that line looks like, and have each try to explain what "reckless love" means and how God "chases" us.

(2) Come up with a body position to strike as each of the following is repeatedly sung when you play the song a second time (they come fast so teach the positions and practice them).

1. There's no shadow You won't light up
2. Mountain You won't climb up
3. Coming after me
4. There's no wall You won't kick down
5. Lie You won't tear down
6. Coming after me

What do the following lyric lines mean?

1. You give Yourself away
2. Fights 'til I'm found  (Who is God fighting with, how do we fight/resist?)
3. What kind of mountain does God have to climb to reach us?  
4. What walls have we put up that God can kick down?  How does God "kick down" our walls?
5. What are the "lies" that God tears down?  How does God tear down lies?
6. What does "coming after me?" mean? How does God keep "coming after" you?
   
   ◊ If you show the soldiers singing the song, ask students to imagine what "reckless love of God" might mean to someone who is putting their life at risk to protect others?
   
   

"Reckless" Love of God?

This is a great discussion point regardless of which side of the argument you are on.

There has been some hub-bub about the use of the term "reckless" to describe God's love in the signature refrain, “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.”  Predictably, the less poetically-inclined guardians of orthodoxy have had their say, pontificating that God's love is certainly not "reckless" in the plain English meaning of the word (careless, foolhardy, hasty, ill-advised, imprudent, negligent, and thoughtless).

To a poet, reckless can also mean AUDACIOUS, DARING, and UNEXPECTED. The term "reckless" fits with Jesus' use of hyperbole (exaggeration). Logs in the eye, mountains that get up, the weak and meek who will inherit, and so forth. Paul called the cross "foolishness." (I Cor 18) and I've never heard the guardians call HIM out. Luke in Acts 17:6 described a scene that could have been written about some of the reaction to the word "reckless." 

"They dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also!"

What are they REALLY concerned about?  I don't think it's the word "reckless." I think it's the UNCONDITIONAL nature of God's love which the song so powerfully sings. It paints a God who is not as content to leave some to hell as many preachers would prefer to do.