Come Back

I remember this one summer in college, I took the summer off from working and just went to school. It was heavenly. I had class in the mornings, and then spent my afternoons sitting in a coffee shop people watching, drinking endless cups of java, working on projects, and listening to hours on end of music. Did I mention it was heavenly?

I think if I had a list of ideal occupations, speaker and writer would fall high on the list, but not far below would be professional music listener and coffee connoisseur. Is that even a thing? Could we make that a thing?

I love music. I could almost never turn on the TV in my house and just have music blaring all the live long day. Music makes me find my happy place, and when I find a good lyric that just gets me… man, there are few greater pleasures in life.

I listen to all kinds of music. One band that I sort of like is “The Script.” They are an Irish rock pop group, and really a lot of their songs are about bad breakups and trying to get the girl back… Okay, so I am not entirely sure why I love them so much, but I just generally enjoy their songs. Their lyrics are not infallible, and I cannot stand behind every single thing they say, but I just like ‘em alright?

Anyway, they have this song called “If You Ever Come Back.” Again, bad breakup. He wants the girl back. He’s basically saying, if you ever decide to come back, I’m still waiting on you. The chorus says:

“I’ll leave the door on the latch

If you ever come back, if you ever come back

There’ll be a light in the hall and the key under the mat

If you ever come back

There’ll be a smile on my face and the kettle on

And it will be just like you were never gone

There’ll be a light in the hall and the key under the mat

If you ever come back, if you ever come back now

Oh, if you ever come back, if you ever come back”

Bizarre as it sounds, I really related to this song because one day it hit me, this is just how Jesus treats us. You know you think about the guy, and he sort of seems like a fool. The girl has done so much to hurt him, and yet still he says, “Come back and it will be like you never left. I’ll have a smile on my face and you will be welcome here.”

Truly profound that someone could have that kind of love for someone… unconditional love. Love that Jesus shows us every single day. All we have to do is just come back. No matter where you are, or how far you think you’ve gone, you can rest assured– The door is still unlatched. The light is still on. There is a smile on His face waiting to welcome you home. Just come back…