by Emily Medlock
Sanctus Real may be one of the tenderest bands that I’ve ever listened to. Their songs are always raw, real, and convicting. “Lead Me” is always a favorite as it speaks of a man struggling to prioritize his life and give his family all of the love that they deserve. Other songs include “Something Heavenly” and “I’m Not Alright” which are about the worst things the heart feels and what happens on the other side of that pain.
Their newest song, “As I Am” is little known at the time. But it won’t be long before the world hears its message. Until then, let’s take a look at these lyrics!
Like the thief upon the cross
I’m as guilty as can be
Like the woman at the well
I’ve got shame that runs so deep
This is incredibly straightforward for a Christian to hear. We are all sinners. It’s a simple fact. Without sin, we wouldn’t need salvation and we wouldn’t need Christ. That said, our sin should shame us…but to an end.
How unexpectedly
My God You welcome me
You lift my head You still my soul
You tell me I am beautiful
This bridge and chorus are everything that anyone wants to hear. We all want to be accepted, we all want to be told that we are beautiful. Not all of us have a human companion to tell us this, but we are all able to hear that from the one whose voice is most meaningful. This reminds me of “Beloved” by Tenth Avenue North. I did their song “Someone to Talk To” a few weeks back and it is a must-read.
You know my heart and don’t let go
You love me as I am
Yes You love me as I am
How amazing would it be if we could speak with our hearts? If we didn’t need words to let each other know our thoughts, feelings, intentions, and wishes for them. If one touch could say “I love you” and one look could send out sympathies. What if our empathy spoke for us and we could all feel it equally? Those are all what ifs. The reality is, only one knows us this well, only one doesn’t need our words to know our heart. And this One, loves every bit of us. Every flaw, ever insecurity, and every mistake we think we have made.
You have broken through my past
You are re-defining me
My sin is in the grave
Your grace has set me free
We are all sinners. It’s true. But our world ends when we stop there. It begins when we move past that mindset and onto the fact that we have been saved from that life. Our sin makes us unworthy, but grace makes us God’s greatest treasures. And that is the most amazing place to be.
All my fears
All my flaws
Lost their power at the cross
My whole life was changed when You gave Yours away
You know what’s really worthless now? Hate, anger, resentment, insecurities. All of that is now powerless if we accept what Christ has done for us. If we continue to hold onto all of that, we are telling our Lord that everything He did was in vain. That we don’t need Him, that we can’t use Him. But that’s not a message we really want to send. Letting go and moving on is one of the hardest things man can do. But accepting that God accepts us “as we are,” is the greatest thing one can do for oneself and everyone around them.
Imagine a relationship being broken because one partner can’t accept themselves or being loved by their other half. It happens all of the time. They break it off because they don’t love themselves enough to let it happen.
That’s what this song is all about. Getting passed the feeling of worthlessness and accepting this love that has been set before us. Your past is in the past and a new life is before you. Ever fear, flaw, and mistake no longer has meaning. Your new love and your new life are what matter now. Your new relationship with Christ, the greatest companion, lover and life partner to ever live.
I hope you enjoyed “As I Am,” as much as I have. Remember to add Sanctus Real’s new album to your playlist! If you have any song suggestions for next time, please let me know in the comments!
Emily Medlock is a freelance writer who specializes in video games, movies, viral content, Christianity, music and YouTube video scripts. Visit her online at emilymedlock.com/blog.