Whether or not you've heard this song before or fight tenaciously for the altered/unaltered lyrics of this song in a worship context, the story behind John Mark McMillan's "How He Loves Us" is a powerful one about a un-romanticized, raw depiction of God's love for each and every one of us.
This seemed liked a great video to share following Easter Sunday, I hope you find it a blessing as well.
How He Loves
By: John Mark McMillan
Verse 1:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Chorus 1:
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Verse 2:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…
Chorus 2:
He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Verse 3:
Well, I thought about You the day Steven died,
And You met me between my breaking.
I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony.
...They want to tell me You're cruel,
But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...
Chorus 3:
Cause He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
All right folks, this is what love is: In celebration of my 30th birthday, Taryn and I drove up to The Clam Box in Ipswich, MA and gorged ourselves on delicious, golden-fried seafood (pictures to come in a future post). On the way back, we swung by the only Toys 'R Us near Boston where she picked up something very special for me...
...a Transformers Masterpiece Grimlock. For those not in the know, he's a giant robot that transforms into a Tyrannosaurus Rex. How does that let him hide from the humans you ask? That question is irrelevant to this man-child.
Yes, I'm still a ten-year-old and my wife not only accepts some of these left-over hobbies, but indulges me in them. THANK YOU JESUS for creating her and making her such an important and integral part of my life!
Verse 1
You are good You are good
When there’s nothing good in me
You are love You are love
On display for all to see
You are light You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope You are hope
You have covered all my sin
Verse 2
You are peace You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy You are joy
You’re the reason that I sing
You are life You are life
In You death has lost it’s sting
Chorus
Oh I’m running to Your arms
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign
Verse 3
You are more You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here You are here
In Your presence I’m made whole
You are God You are God
Of all else I’m letting go
Bridge
My heart will sing
No other Name
Jesus
Jesus
