Don’t Take The Girl: Theology in Country Music

Ephesians 5:25-30

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁵ For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her ²⁶ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.^{[a] 27} He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. ²⁸ In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. ²⁹ No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. ³⁰ And we are members of his body.

The song by Tim McGraw “Don’t Take The Girl” is a wonderful about a boys relationship with a girl from his childhood to his marriage to her.  The song  begins by not wanting to take the girl fishing with his dad, to dating her and finally marrying and having a child with her.  Through it all, he tries to protect her from various dangers.  In it this song we see how Jesus loves us.  He refers to his church as his bride.  He loves his church so much that he died for it.  This is the example he sets for us men.  That we love our wives so much that we are willing to die for her.

I can almost imagine Christ even saying this to his father about us (His church) :

Take the very breath you gave me
Take the heart from my chest
I’ll gladly
take her place if you’ll let me
Make this my last request
Take me out of
this world
God, please don’t take the girl

Christ died for his girl the church.  Instead of receiving the wrath of God, we have HIS favor because of his Son’s sacrifice.  Jesus gladly took our place and took the punishment for our sins.  Receive him into your heart today if you have not done so.

until next time

Be glad you are Jesus’ girl

pastor greg t.