Worship Leader Misty Edwards and the worship team at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, Missouri have breathed several new worship anthems into the Church from their annual Onething Live conferences. "You Won't Relent," "You Satisfy My Soul," "New Jerusalem," "Baptize My Heart," "Arms Wide Open" and "Pour My Love on You" consistently bless me as a worshiper. I was excited to hear Onething Live: Sing Your Praises, recorded at Onething 2013. 

This compilation highlights some new songs and powerful performances of Laura Hackett singing Matt Redman's "Holy" and Misty Edwards singing an incredible rendition of Kevin Prosch's "The Gift." The idea of finding our peace, joy and identity in Christ is beautifully captured in Laura Hackett's "The Love Inside." The song compels me to worship Jesus and profess my own appreciation for the pure love of Jesus that "fills all of heaven with its light." 

Laura profoundly sings, "When we know Jesus sees us here now, this changes everything, Jesus Your love is so amazing, and this joy I can't explain it, I'm caught up in the fellowship." The song is a gorgeous profession of Laura's sincere desire to serve Jesus. I had the chance to speak with Laura about the song.

Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.

I wrote this song last spring. I had watched an interview of this guy on The 700 Club and he gave a testimony of how he died and went to Heaven and he described his encounter with the resurrected Lord Jesus in Heaven. He said that he felt these waves crashing over him of love and acceptance and perfect peace and that he was undone by the experience. That really stood out to me. I carried that in my heart and when I talked with the Lord I would think about Him shining and think about Who He is, reaching out to me.

A good friend of mine had a similar encounter and described the same thing. I thought this really must be true. She described these crashing waves and how everyone's attention was on Jesus and His light. I wrote the chorus of the song thinking about those descriptions of Heaven. I wanted to encounter it myself and it has been something true in my life that when I start singing about something it becomes real in my heart.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song? 

Ezekiel 1:25-28 (MSG): "And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day--that's what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God! When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice."

Philippians 3:10-11 (NKJV): "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Ephesians 3:9-13 (NKJV): "and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory."

Ephesians 3:19-21 (NKJV): "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Revelation 7:17 (NIV): "For the Lamb at the center of the Throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 21:4-5 (NKJV): "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

What is the takeaway message?

When we read about John's encounter with Jesus in Heaven and how he fell down when he met Him, we know that there must have been some kind of force in that encounter. The way the song came to be, the first part of the song is about lifting my eyes to look on Him and think about Him, and the next part of the song is my soul's response to that.

This song is about how my soul is caught up in how amazing Jesus is. Everything else in life fades in comparison. Sometimes we try to make fellowshipping with God more than it is, because sometimes it is just talking with Him.

I wanted to add the first few lines of the song, "Do Your eyes see me now? Are You smiling? Are You proud? I believe You are, and this changes everything." In Hebrews, we learn that when we acknowledge that He is, that's faith. When we acknowledge God's existence, He rewards those who diligently seek Him. It is that simple. That's the fear of the Lord. Say to God, "You are real, You exist, You see me now, You are watching me now." Take it a step further and tell Him that You know He is pleased with you because you are in Christ and that He loves you and delights in you. That catches you up into that Heavenly perspective.

Talk with God about Who He is. That's the best way to fellowship with Him. Take a Bible story, and talk with God about what you read about Him. That's a satisfying way to fellowship with God.  Jesus is becoming my closest friend. I feel an interaction by The Holy Spirit and I'm caught up in the fellowship with Him.

Lyrics:
Do Your eyes see me now 
Are You smiling? 
Are You proud? I believe You are, and this changes everything 

Your heart so full, You can't contain it 
Waves are crashing over me
I feel so safe I can't explain it
Peace and joy abounding me 

The love inside of You is so pure and so right 
It fills all heaven with its light 

Jesus Your love is so amazing 
And this joy I can't explain it 
I'm caught up in the fellowship 
I'm caught up in the fellowship 

You're the One, there You go again 
Lifting my heart, lifting my head 
Hope is rising as I see You smiling

This song takes me to the Throne Room along with Laura. I love how prayers and songs of praise are a communal experience that we can all share. I think the Lord wants us to long for Heaven. When we've been indwelled by The Holy Spirit, we have a personal relationship with the Comforter and a peace that surpasses understanding to know that this fallen world isn't all that we are living for, ultimately. We are promised an eternity with God that is so much greater than anything we've experienced on earth. The biblical descriptions of Heaven are so glorious.

I'm grateful for the music ministry of the Onething conferences where many of the songs are about dwelling on our Eternal One, Jesus, and how one day all things will be made new and there will be no more death, sorrow or crying. I think the Church could benefit from more proclamations of the excitement of everlasting life in Heaven and how "it fills all of heaven with its light."

My soul longs for the gathering of the saints, elders, living creatures, and angels in Heaven where we will all sing to Jesus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (Rev 5:12-NKJV). Until then, you can sing this song as a foretaste of eternity, and loudly exclaim, "Jesus Your love is so amazing / And this joy I can't explain it / I'm caught up in the fellowship." Amen to that!

(Watch Laura sing the song here.)