NewSong - The Closer I Get Lyrics
Lyrics
I called home
Got my daddy on the phone
I said I sure would, I said I wish I could
Come back home
I was wrong to be gone so long
I had to be free, I had to be me
Now I'm coming home
And the closer I get, the clearer I see
That You don't want my freedom
Only the best for me
And the closer I get, I can see in Your eyes
Love shining out to me
Love shining out to me
My money's gone
And all my friends are too
Sin took me far, sin left in scars
Now I'm through
One more hill, now it won't be long
Is that You I see reaching out to me
Now I'm coming home
And the closer I get, the clearer I see
That You don't want my freedom
Only the best for me
And the closer I get, I can see in Your eyes
Love shining out to me
Love shining out to me
Everywhere I go, everything I do
Something calls me back to you
I've never understood how you ever could
Love me like You do
And the closer I get, the clearer I see
That You don't want my freedom
Only the best for me
And the closer I get, I can see in Your eyes
Love shining out to me
And the closer I get, the clearer I see
That You don't want my freedom
Only the best for me
And the closer I get, I can see in Your eyes
Love shining out to me
Love shining out to me
Video
Newsong - The Closer I Get
Meaning & Inspiration
"The Closer I Get," released by NewSong on July 7, 2019, is a powerful anthem that resonates deeply with the journey of redemption and the unwavering nature of divine love. The song opens with a poignant reflection on a period of straying, a voluntary departure from a place of belonging and security, articulated through the imagery of calling home and acknowledging a long absence. The narrator confesses the misguided pursuit of personal freedom, a desire to "be me" that ultimately led to isolation and regret. This initial sentiment echoes the prodigal son's narrative in Luke 15:11-32, where a son squanders his inheritance in a distant land, only to realize the emptiness of his independence and the warmth of his father's house.
As the narrative progresses, the core message of the song unfolds: the realization that true freedom isn't the absence of guidance but the embrace of love that desires our ultimate good. The recurring refrain, "the closer I get, the clearer I see that You don't want my freedom, only the best for me," is a profound theological statement. It speaks to the liberating truth that God's commands and guidance are not chains but loving provisions designed for our flourishing. This perspective challenges the worldly notion of freedom as unbridled autonomy and instead presents a spiritual freedom found in surrender to a benevolent Creator who knows what is truly best. The imagery of seeing love shining in God's eyes as the narrator draws nearer signifies the transformative power of intimate fellowship with the divine, a love that is patient and persistent, even when we have strayed.
The second verse introduces the stark realities of such a departure: depleted resources ("money's gone") and broken relationships ("all my friends are too"), coupled with the deep wounds left by sin ("sin left scars"). This unflinching honesty highlights the consequences of choosing a path apart from God. Yet, even in this state of destitution, there is a flicker of hope, a recognition of an outstretched hand. The lyrics beautifully capture the moment of turning back, the arduous climb of the "one more hill" towards reconciliation. This struggle and ultimate return mirror the biblical understanding of repentance, a turning away from sin and a turning towards God, as encouraged in Acts 3:19: "Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out."
The bridge offers a moment of wonder and humility, questioning the source of such unconditional love. "I've never understood how you ever could love me like You do" is a sentiment that Christians often grapple with – the sheer immensity and undeserved nature of God's grace. It calls to mind passages like Romans 5:8, which states, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This enduring love is not contingent on our worthiness but flows from God's very nature. "The Closer I Get" is ultimately an invitation to return, a testament to a love that waits, pursues, and rejoices at the homecoming of every soul that turns its gaze back towards its heavenly Father, seeing not condemnation, but the radiant truth of a love that desires only our highest good.