The Story Behind the Song
This hymn is included in the August 30th service at 11 am. Ways to attend in person and online can be found here.
This song can be viewed on YouTube by clicking here.
There’s an old saying, “warts and all.” We use it when we want the unvarnished truth, even if it includes aspects that are unappealing or unattractive, as in “Tell me what you thought of my speech. Give it to me straight, warts and all.” It supposedly comes from instructions that Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England between the reigns of Charles I and Charles II, gave to the artist who was to paint Cromwell’s portrait—“Mr. Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.”
//
Throughout the Bible, men and women are presented warts and all. Noah is the man of great faith who built the ark and saved humanity—then planted a vineyard and got plastered (Genesis 9:20-21). Abraham is the “friend of God” (James 2:23) who, not once but twice, lied to pass off his wife as his sister to save his own skin (Genesis 12:13, 20:2). And don’t even get me started on his grandson, Jacob, the founder of the nation of Israel who lied to his father (Genesis 27:18-24), stole his brother’s inheritance (Genesis 25:29-34), and took advantage of his father-in-law (Genesis 30:37-43). King David? He was the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1) and a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22)—as well as an adulterer and murderer (2 Samuel 11:2-21).
//
In the New Testament, the story is the same. Even devoted followers of Jesus are characterized by both faith and faults. Peter preached the sermon at Pentecost which resulted in 3,000 people coming to Christ in a single day (Acts 2:14-41)—and later had to be rebuked by Paul for his hypocrisy (Galatians 2:11-14). Paul himself wrote a great deal of the New Testament and was arguably the greatest missionary who ever lived, yet he described himself as a “wretched man” (Romans 7:24) who was the “biggest sinner of all” (1 Timothy 1:15, CEB).
//
Andrae Crouch (1942-2015) is another disciple of Christ marked by both successes and shortcomings. Known as “the father of modern gospel music,” he wrote songs that are still ministering to the church to this day—“I Don’t Know Why Jesus Loved Me,” “Bless the Lord, O My Soul (Bless His Holy Name),” “Through It All,” “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory),” “Soon and Very Soon,” and “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”—and pastored the church his parents founded after his father died. Yet he also battled his own weaknesses and was once arrested for erratic driving during which a small amount of illegal drugs was found in his car.
//
Crouch was not perfect—nor, with the lone exception of Jesus, was anyone in the Bible. The same is true of anyone reading these words, and especially of the one writing them. But Andrae Crouch was honest in his songs, writing lyrics like, “I’ve had many tears and sorrows; I’ve had questions for tomorrow; there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong. But in every situation God gave me blessed consolation, that my trials come to only make me strong.” Can I get an “Amen!”?
//
He also wrote: “I don’t know why Jesus loved me; I don’t know why He cared. I don’t know why He sacrificed His life; Oh, but I’m glad, so glad He did.” Aren’t we all?
//
Andrae Crouch knew the source of salvation and strength to live in a fallen world—it was “…the blood that Jesus shed for me, way back on Calvary”—and that it stays constant, whether we are atop the highest mountain, or wallowing in the lowest valley. In a world in which our faith ebbs and flows, God’s faithfulness remains unchanging—“it will never lose its power.”
//
Anastasia Music 