A Lover's Prayer

Hawaiian entertainer, Don Ho sang a song entitled, “A Lover’s Prayer.” In the song, he expresses an intense passion—on second thought, such an obsession that he sings, “If I go to heaven and you’re not there…I’d go to hell to be with you…”

As a youngster, the words to this song troubled me greatly because it sounded blasphemous. Now, as a Christian, some thirty plus years later, those words are still disturbing because it expresses a love that is reserved for God and God alone (Exodus 20:3-4, Deuteronomy 6:5).

Jim Woodruff said something that has helped me some. What he said has not helped to take away the uneasiness and the tension that I still feel every time I hear or think about this song. However, Jim said something that has shifted my attention and has helped me to focus on something else. Jim said, “If Jesus was in hell, I’d go there to be with Him.” Let that sink in. “If Jesus was in hell, I’d go there to be with Him.” Can we imagine or think such a thing? Can we declare this with our lips?

Let’s also ponder on this. Not only is Heaven not the same place without Jesus, but Hell is not Hell when Jesus is with you. Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)