|
Still Has the Heart of Worship | Posted October 08, 2013
Matt Redman has long been my favorite worship leader. I was hooked as soon as I heard his song, "The Heart of Worship." The story behind the song is that in response to his church having too much focus on music his pastor suggested they take a break from singing, which led to his writing the worship classic. The words, "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, it's all about You," sum up Matt's ministry and focus on vertical worship. His sincere singing and songwriting style and biblical inspired lyrics have made me a huge fan. Redman is best known for writing the worship anthems "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)," "Blessed Be Your Name" and "You Never Let Go."
The first three songs from this project—"Sing And Shout," "Your Grace Finds Me" and "Mercy"—all flow together with a Brit-rock musical style and plenty of energy and excitement about our relationship with Christ and that His grace is worthy of praise, such as in "Sing and Shout" with the confessional proclamation: "Your grace, Your grace, I hear it call my name, I'm waking up to sing, Your cross, Your cross, it draws me to Your heart, We will sing and shout, sing and shout, open up our hearts and pour our praises out, open up our hearts and pour Your praises out!"
The first single and title track, "Your Grace Finds Me" is exactly the type of catchy corporate worship song I've come to love from Matt Redman. The song features instantly sing-able vertical and prayerful lyrics: "There in the sweetest songs of victory, Your grace finds me." I sing along with the top of my lungs when Matt belts out, "Your great grace, oh such grace." Amen.
"This Beating Heart" finds a stylistic cousin with the song "Lay Me Down" and has an infectious chorus: "This beating heart, like a drum it will beat for You, my soul, my soul sings for You." "One Name Alone" is filled with Matt's excellent use of solid theological truth as it opens with the biblical lyrics: "Everybody praises the thing they love, everybody announces what they adore, and where you lay your treasure, there is your heart…One Name alone, I am living for, One Name my heart and soul adores…Jesus be my everything!" Amen to that!
"Jesus, Only Jesus" would fit on any Hillsong or Passion album, and the song is also included on Passion: Let The Future Begin. Matt has written and sung several hits for the Passion collections and this song will also resonate with believers everywhere like his other prayerful anthems "Our God" and "Lay Me Down" as recorded by Chris Tomlin. You'll quickly be singing the reverent chorus: "Holy, King Almighty Lord, saints and angels all adore, I'll join with them and bow before Jesus, Only Jesus." It's that type of worshipful humility that has always attracted me to Matt's incredible and worshipful songwriting.
For those looking for times of reflective and personal worship, don't miss "I Need You Now," "Wide as the Sky" and "Good Forever." "I Need You Now" is a powerful anthem and I love the emotion and biblical truth that Matt brings to the song. The song has Matt's signature soothing vocals as he prayerfully belts out "O Living Water, O God My Healer, If I ever needed You, I need You now." "Good Forever" is instantly sing-able and worshipful with a great chorus, "You are good forever and Your love endures, Jesus always, Your love remains, You are good, You are good." Amen.
Every now and then a song comes along that I can really sing as a daily prayer in response to my Savior, and this album is loaded with that type of song, and standout among them is "Wide as the Sky." As Matt challenges in the song, "all the other names fade away, until there's only You, Jesus take Your place." Consider those words when you are starting your day and have this sentiment be your daily anthem, "everybody praises the things they love, and I'll be praising You my God." A beautiful and prayerful "Benediction" closes out this very engaging worship experience.
Closing Thoughts:
Highly anticipated after the incredible award winning success of his last album, 10,000 Reasons, this compelling, 12-track live album Your Grace Finds Me is an excellent follow-up. The album keeps Matt's signature holy energy flowing, and has plenty more songs that you'll soon be singing with fellow believers. This album provides listeners with twelve tracks of vertical offerings to God that you can sing in any circumstance.
Matt Redman's theological, holy and reverent style of writing and singing worship songs has consistently attracted me. Several of Redman's new prayerful sentiments should be added to your Sunday morning worship set, especially "Sing and Shout," "Your Grace Finds Me," "This Beating Heart," "Jesus, Only Jesus," and the gorgeous ballads "I Need You Now," "Good Forever," "Wide As The Sky" and "Benediction."
Song to Download Now:
"Your Grace Finds Me" (Get it on iTunes here.)
Comments (0) | Add Comment | Is This Review Helpful? Yes | No |
to add lyrics if not listed.
