James Morrison’s second album is a beautiful yet bittersweet performance.

Showcasing a lyrical depth, Morrison has not disappointed those who would expect some genuine honesty from an album titled Songs For You, Truths For Me.

Morrison is telling listeners ‘These may simply be 12 enjoyable tracks to you, but this is my life, heart and soul I am pouring out here’.

Morrison (the English singer/songwriter, not the Australian jazz musician) hit it big time in 2006 with the single ‘You Give Me Something’ from his debut album Undiscovered. The title presumably referring to his hitherto unknown status.

Morrison’s lyrics back up his album title’s bold claim with their sweetly sung and beautifully accompanied lyrics of love, shame and pain.

“I just can’t take it no more, I can’t spend another night alone, I can’t take it no more. If this is where we ended up, then I refuse to be so hard on myself this time, if everything I have is gone then what is wrong with spending time with you.”

Morrison sings these lyrics in the album’s upbeat opener ‘The Only Night’.

Throughout the song Morrison is anguished at the thought of being alone. He celebrates the comfort found in being with the one he loves. Not knowing when the last night might be, Morrison wants to make the most of every moment together with her.

Morrison has captured the longing in man’s heart to find a remedy for his loneliness. A longing to find relationship. In Genesis 2:18 the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”.

However, in the next heartbreaking track ‘Save Yourself’ he admits his flaws as a potential boyfriend or husband.

“But if you stay with me, I know I’ll hurt you more. So won’t you save, save yourself by leaving me now for someone else. If I’m crying now, don’t listen to it, it’s only my heart.”

There is an element of self-sacrifice here in Morrison’s lyrics. He doesn’t want to hurt another because of his own failings; however, he cannot deny the one he loves most is also the one he has the most potential to hurt.

Do these lyrics encapsulate an uncertainty that Morrison feels about himself in his own long-term relationship? To go by the album title, that must be true. In any case Morrison has accurately captured the uncertainty of faithfulness that comes when trusting another human being with your emotional and physical welfare. In light of this uncertainty, it is wonderful to remember that our Father in heaven is always faithful to people who trust in his son.

“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:8-10).

Even though our earthly relationships may contain uncertainty, our relationship with God contains a sure hope and eternal promise of lasting satisfaction that will endure forever. As flawed as we are, we can always rely on God’s faithfulness to us when we are in fellowship with Christ. No earthly relationship can ever match the magnitude of God’s relationship with us.

Closing track ‘Love is Hard’ has quite a cynical view of love: “Love takes hostages, gives them pain, gives someone the power to hurt you again and again”.

Morrison has hit on a truth here about the human condition. Unlike God, we do indeed lack the ability to love consistently and unwaveringly. However, Morrison’s big, harsh ‘truth’ about love is surely dwarfed and overcome by the Bible’s view in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” This is how Christians are expected to view and practice love for each other. There’s no place in this love for taking hostages or invoking pain.

In ‘Precious Love’ Morrison sings joyfully of the blessings that comes from having a partner: “You picked me up, when I was down, Showed me how to live again … this precious love is teaching me everything I need to know… I say a prayer send it to you, that my heart will always be true … it must be from heaven above”.

Sadly, the language that Morrison uses turns this woman into a functional saviour. ‘Christian’ language is used throughout the song. But Christians and non-Christians alike must be careful to avoid allowing the object of their affection (be it even wife, husband or child) to replace God in their lives. This is a very subtle yet dangerous form of idolatry.

Paul was not soft in delivering his rebuke to the Corinthian church when it came to their idolatry. Instead of giving their full allegiance to God, some Christians were prostituting their hearts to the practices of the world around them. “Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?” (1 Corinthians 10:23).

It’s a good question to ask of ourselves. Our world continually offers up to us a plethora of objects that are seductively seeking to steal our attention away from God. Idols can come in the forms of experience, comfort, security, wealth, achievement, sex and even spirituality. We must flee from all idolatry.

Morrison has captured many so-called ‘truths’ about the joy and pains of romantic love, but without putting Christ at the centre, he has only given at best, a distorted view of what life and love really is about.