This song speaks of most everything that’s wrong with much of modern “Praise” music. This simple song tells of the danger of conceiving of a man-centered God of our own making. Please don’t misunderstand me and fight to not be offending by my taking on the well-intentioned work of Misty Edwards and her song “Favorite One”. I have nothing personal against her. I don’t pretend to be better than her or anyone else. I wish her no ill-will and I pray that she is a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as her only hope for eternal life.
Here are the lyrics:
Jesus, Here I am Your favorite one
What are You thinking
What are You feeling I have to know
Cause I am after Your heart
I'm after Your heart
I'm after You
By Misty Edwards
Here is a YouTube video where you can hear the song
What else can we expect? When the scriptures cease to become central to corporate worship and when emotionalism (the belief that emotions are the means and the end to worship or what the puritans referred to as “will-worship”) is primary the by-product are songs like this. This line “I am Your favorite one” is a bold, brazen mantra of man-centeredness. I wish she would have said “here I am your favored one” because we are all given unmerited favor if we have experienced the new birth—or even if we haven’t with the common graces that the Good Father bestows upon all men.
Would you go to even your earthly parents and seriously refer to yourself as “the favorite”? Where in the scriptures can we find such arrogance? How this flies in the face of James, the earthly half-brother of Christ who refers to himself as a bond-slave of Christ (James 1:1). There is only one favorite that God has and that is Christ Himself! I have a really hard time believing that this song would be inspired by scripture when scripture is so God-centered.
What else could be less corporate? These lyrics speak of nothing else but a shutting out of the rest of the congregation and having a private “worship experience”. Have I ever prayed similar things (like “I’m after Your heart”) in my own private prayer time? Probably. (If I have ever thought of myself as God’s favorite I should call it sin and repent!) However, the syntax of the lyrics point to a congregant forgetting the rest of his church family. These lyrics actually pit one congregant against another. I would love to see the lyrics changed in the chorus to “we’re after You”. (And better yet—“Jesus here we are You’re favored ones”!)
Is there anything wrong with singing about our pursuit of God? Absolutely not. Otherwise the scriptures are wrong. On the other hand, I believe to have proper biblical balance, our songs should much more speak of God’s pursuit of us—as do the scriptures.
What else could God tell us that He’s thinking and feeling? This song is the theme song to the primacy of mysticism over literalism. It is the exaltation of “impressions” and “promptings” over the revelation of scripture. Now, remember, you’re reading the writings of a charismatic! However, any lyric or idea that seems to imply that what God has told us through His word is not enough is dangerous at best and heretical at worst.
Please don’t throw stones at my saying such a thing. I’m merely suggesting that thundering what God has already said is much healthier and much more biblically accurate than singing about needing additional revelation and guidance. Like the great old hymn says “What more can He say that to you He has said?” If the song-writer is meaning to say that we are needing the Holy Spirit’s help to have the scriptures rightly revealed to us in a greater way–especially in application, then that’s a different story. However, I’m somewhat skeptical to the notion that Edwards is meaning just that.
Listen, none of us is perfect. We have all led, sung, and written songs that aren’t the most biblically accurate. We’re all on a pilgrimage—I get that. But, Brother Music Minister, please put more effort into looking deeply into song lyrics before you provide a song to your congregation.
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Since you asked, to answer your question, I would answer I guess it's possible, but not likely, at least not with the song choice you propose.
36 years ago when I walked to the altar to commit my life to Christ, I had hot tears running down my face, not just because the presence of the Lord was so strong (which it was), but because all of a sudden the age old Gospel message became personal to me, I realized Jesus had paid for MY sins, I had heard the Great Shepherd would leave the 99 and come for one, but that night I was that one… Was I His favorite? I certainly felt like it that night, I was definitely the "one" the Great Shephard came for that night… I felt like His favorite from that night on- yet even as a kid, I knew God was big enough for all of us to be His "favorite." As His lovingkindness has kept me each day since, I have tried to maintain a bondservant attitude toward Him, but to be honest, He treats me like a son–no better than any one else of course, but a son nonetheless.
So to sing as His favorite can be a beautiful revelation of how He treats us.
Wanting to know His thoughts and feelings on a subject or in general is another way to ask for wisdom, wanting to know His ways like Moses, and not just His acts (obviously aligning with His Word) "How great are His thoughts toward us-they are numbered like the sand on the seashore" Don't you ever ask Him to search your heart and mind and see if there is any wayward way in you? To me that is what this song does very powerfully.
As for the congregation all singing "I" … I understand what you are saying, but again if God interacts with us as individuals as well as collectively why can't we do both in the same worship service? If anyone is trying to "compete" as you say, the Lord will deal with them as He answers their prayer to show them what He is thinking and feeling…
as they sing this song with all their heart and soul and mind and strength
Craig, first of all, I am thrilled that the Lord opened your eyes to your need of Him and blessed you with a heart to trust only in His finished work on the cross. Without Christ, we're all sunk!
All I am saying, is why deviate from biblical language and encourage a congregation to sing such "me-centered" lyrics when there are such incredibly blessed and infinitely glorious truths about our relationship to God found there? Is there something missing? Also, I fear that the modern worship movement has neglected the corporate experience and has promoted the "private worship experience" in corporate settings which I don't find much of in the scriptures. It is a great discussion and one that is needed. Thanks so much for your thoughtful and tender comments!
I totally agree! Songs whose lyrics solely magnify God are incredibly all inspiring, and worship leaders should use more of those songs. But how big is the 'problem' with individual response songs in a corporate environment really?
Maybe its more a problem of song order? Thoughts? For example: "Outer court"-type songs such as "We Have Come To Magnify Your Name" are great, but the goal is to help folks get to the 'Holy of Holies' so to speak, where they come face to face with the Living Holy God!!
Take "I Love You Lord." Sure we could start by singing We Love You Lord, but it is much more intimate to sing to God from just your heart. Both are totally fine. But once we are at the 'Holy of Holies'-type of place in the service, say an awesome "I Exalt Thee" kind of song and moment. To go back to "We Have Come…" is sort of putting it in reverse. I've seen some Worship Leaders make it work well, so I am not saying it is wrong to attempt this, but only that Worship services are a progression… that each individual can get out of their muck and into His Majesty.
Totally God-centered songs at times are hard to find… most all of your original comments toward Favorite One could be attributed to other personal favorites of mine…Amazing Grace "who… saved a wretch like me," not 'us.'
'I' walked In The Garden "alone"…and He walks with 'me' and talks with 'me' and tells 'me' 'I' am His own… certainly sounds like God's favorite to me (of course there is nothing keeping any of us back from becoming His favorites as well)
Blessed Assurance is all about 'my' story and 'my' song, praising 'my' Savior all the day long"
Should we not do these songs because they are written in 1st person? I don't see the problem with songs that articulate one's proper response to God.
I guess in one sense it is actually easier to sing 'a wretch like us' verses 'like me'
Can an 'I' actually hide behind an 'us' song, where an 'I' song forces us to realize wow-He does walk w/ me and talk w/ me, in fact I hear Him telling me right now 'I am His own' while I sing it!
Do we need to choose more songs that focus solely on Him alone? Absolutely!
For what it is worth, focusing on one song and questioning it's author's intentions as an example of what is wrong with the church is not necessarily fair to Misty Edwards.
No one person or organization is perfect, but I do know Misty Edwards has 'tithed her 20s' to the Lord, meaning she has devoted that decade of her life to prayer, fasting, and worshipping the Lord. To my knowledge, she is not pursuing a relationship during this time, but focused solely on the Lord, as her husband. She knows she needs to be saved by Calvary alone and not by works, I think she is showing us her faith by her works. The IHOP ministry she is a part of has literally had live 24/7 prayer and worship in their chapel for over 10 years now… amazing isn't it? Literally the prayer and worship music has never stopped, just like David's tabernacle. Humbly pleading for our nation as well as the world to return to righteousness, IHOP has been declaring the Word of God over all of us around the clock, and have ignited a young generation committing themselves to prayer. Are they perfect, they would be the 1st to say, no.
But songs that are birthed in those early hours of prayer there, like Favorite One, are an expression of a heart that is actively pursuing the Lord in deed and not just in word alone.
How do we really know Favorite One isn't one of God's personal favorite songs to hear when she sings it
He told us to seek His face, and this is Misty’s way of doing that… how we use it in our own services is important, but it has only stoked my fire for more of Him, and less of me.
Craig, I get you on the singular personal pronoun…I was suggesting that she use "us" to get away from the seemingly personal worship experience mindset that is so prevalent in the song. Of course, we shouldn't change all the "I's" and "me's" in our entire liturgy. I would also say just because God-centered songs are hard to find does not excuse their dearth in the church. Let's look more diligently!
I am very familiar with the IHOP ministry. I hope and pray that it is being used mightily of God. I also tried to make it very clear that I was questioning the song in particular and didn't want to paint with a broad brush on her as a believer or on the rest of her work. I still have great concern that too many churches will use this song and others like it to veer from the scriptures, IMHO.
It is also extremely important to lash ourselves to what God has revealed in His word. Isn't the gospel enough? I hope to exhaust the rest of my time here writing, singing, and proclaiming in ever-increasing measure Christ and Him crucified. I don't need to know anymore what God is thinking or feeling than what He has already told me. I do need to better apply and search what He has told me but I don't need Him to tell me anything else. He has said more than enough (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). And I believe that should be the absolute goal of every believer and church body.
Thanks so much for your kind, humble comments!
very useful post. I would love to follow you on twitter.