This month we are going to dive into a more recent song. I hear it all the time on the radio and I'm sure you have heard it to. "Next to Me" by Jordan Feliz is an upbeat song that always has me wanting to dance around my living room when it come on. It's fun and has a powerful message that resonates with me.
So let us begin with the history.
Klove did an interview with Jordan about his newest album which came out end of last year. He had this to say about the song "Next To Me".
"'Next To Me” is really about a struggle that I feel like I’ve had my entire life, which is just that constant struggle of wanting to do things in my own strength. When we were writing this song, I always reverted back to Psalm 145:18-19. It’s real simple. It just says, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.” It’s just a promise that God is here; He’s near us all the time. This world can trick our minds into thinking somehow we can make things better on our own, or we don’t really have to invite Jesus into this. This song is a reminder that He’s right here. He’s right next to you. He’s right next to you in your hurt. He’s right next to you in your joy. He’s right next to you in your suffering. He’s never left your side, and He never will."
Lyrics
I've been empty When I'm low, you fill the cup, yeah But my ego fights back telling me that I'm ready to grab the wheel and take control But I'll crash if I don't let myself let go
You put the "X" on my faded map Draw me a line back to where you're at Patient when I try to move too fast I get this feeling I get this feeling
I get this feeling in my spirit when I'm low I hear it calling like a compass to my soul Saying, child, come on back now You've been gone too long Let me lead you back where you belong
Right next to me (me, me-me, me) Right next to me (me, me-me, me)
I've been captive by the plans I tried to make, yeah I've been selfish 'Cause callous heart they die hard like habits That I know I gotta break Ain't it good to know that help is on the way? (Help is on the way)
You put the "X"on my faded map Draw me a line back to where you're at Patient when I try to move too fast I get this feeling I get this feeling
I get this feeling in my spirit when I'm low I hear it calling like a compass to my soul Saying, child, come on back now You've been gone too long Let me lead you back where you belong
Right next to me, oh, oh-oh
You know I tried to do it on my own (on my own) Oh, oh-oh You say it's time for me to come back home Right next to me (me, me-me, me)
I get this feeling in my spirit when I'm low I hear it calling like a compass to my soul Saying, child, come on back now You've been gone too long Let me lead you back where you belong
I get this feeling in my spirit when I'm low I hear it calling like a compass to my soul Saying, child, come on back now You've been gone too long (back where you belong now) Let me lead you back where you belong
Right next to me (me, me-me, me) Right next to me (me, me-me, me)
There are many verses this song can relate back to. Verses on how God is always near, how He is our leader, how He loves us, and how He is in control. Jordan gives the verse he used for inspiration above, but below are a few other verses that relate to lyrics and the message of this song.
This passage from scripture is known very well even by secular people. In this verse we see how God is in control and is our leader as our shepherd. This relates back to the song where it talks about how we like to try and grab the wheel of life and take control, but in our own hands we will crash. This verse also relates back to how when we are low, God fills our cup; He fills our spirit and refreshes us.
"A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows..." - Psalm 23:1-6
Here is in this verse we get the theme of the song where God is always right next to us.
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” –Hebrews 13:5
This is another verse about how God is always close to us even when we don't always remember or feel it. In the song God is calling us back to Him and this verse talks about just that with us continually seeking God.
"That they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us," -Acts 17:27
In the song he also mentions how selfish we can be by trying to do things our own way and being selfish with our time. This only leads to destruction in our lives.
"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." -James 3:16
Finally a reference to how God is our strength and He recharges us. When our spirit is low, God recharges us because everyone grows weary.
"Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." -Isaiah 40: 30-31
Connection
This song resonates with me especially when it first came out. The lyric "child, come on back now/You've been gone too long". It felt like God was speaking to my heart. I was feeling distant from God and this song was like a healing balm and a welcome reminder. It was like God was asking, "When was the last time you spent time with me?" It has the tone of a loving parent in that it's instructive for out good and it's a loving sentiment about He misses us and loves us. God is our home and our constant companion. He is always there right next to us, but we need to be right next to Him by remembering that he is there and by spending time with him. He gives our soul rest and a recharge.
Now it goes without saying that I love the beat and cool sounds. I love how they took someone saying "me" and distorted it. In fact the music was what first caught my attention for this song before I listened to the words.
So apart from the beautiful meaning, I wanted to note how neat the lyrics are in how they have a treasure hunt theme with the "compass to my soul" and the "you put an 'X' on the faded map". It's very creative and it also hints at how Jesus is our treasure.
Thank you for joining me today. I hope you learned something new or are inspired that helps you grow in your relationship with the LORD. Please like and subscribe to my site for more posts like this. Have a blessed day!
Comments