Love is one of the most elusive and mysterious things we will ever experience. The experience of loving and being loved is full of contradictions, risks, and treasures.
We all crave a love so special that it is perfectly designed for us. We might find a piece of that love in our partner, a bit of it in our parents, another part in our children, and even some in our pets.
Unfortunately, many of us know the love we find on earth isn’t guaranteed to last. Divorce rates are frighteningly high; kids grow up; pets pass away. One of our greatest fears is that love will vanish.
The complete, faithful, everlasting love that everyone craves seems unattainable … or is it?
Christian music artist Phil Wickham knows about the love that remains through it all and how it sparks us toward life change. In his songs, we discover the truest love: the love that comes from God.
Falling In Love
Phil’s gentle song, “Falling In Love” from his 2021 album “Hymns of Heaven,” describes a love unlike any other. The simplicity of the song portrays the soft beauty of God’s love-and our love for Him.
Phil Wickham’s artistry is pure throughout the song, bringing us to a place where we feel the Holy Spirit embracing us. In this place, we can simply worship our Savior. As we do, we get a glimpse of true love:
The more I praise You
The more I want to
I’m falling in love, falling in love with You
I lay my life down
God I am Yours now
I’m falling in love, falling in love with You
(Phil Wickham, “Falling In Love”)
Within the first moments of being saved, we learn about a love impossible to comprehend. This love comes from a God who remains with us as we rebel, embraces us as we test Him, and shows compassion for us in our state.
As we dwell in His presence, we begin to change. Steadily, we morph into people who know something that others don’t: true, undying love. And then we begin to show this love in return.
How Great Is Your Love
Phil’s 2018 song “How Great Is Your Love” describes the amazing nature of Christ’s love, a love so powerful that it can’t be defeated. This love is a steady thing, something we can be certain of in all points of our life. The love of God is stronger than sin.
The song’s tune is joyous, loud, and fills us with strength, and it asks us to glorify God for His greatness. As we bathe in the sturdiness and assurance of God’s presence, we can’t help but overflow with love toward others. How can a love like this not be shared?
Phil Wickham once again shows his artistic talent in the lyrics of “How Great Is Your Love.” In them, Phil illustrates the good news of what Christ did for us:
You bore my weakness
You took my shame
Buried my burdens in fields of grace
You called me out, lifted me up
How great is Your love
From the heights of heaven You stepped down to earth
Innocent perfection, gave Your life for us
We are amazed, we stand in awe
For we have been changed by the power of the cross
(Phil Wickham, “How Great Is Your Love”)
As we listen to this song, we are reminded of our state. The story of Hosea illustrates perfectly the love that God hands His Church. Hosea marries Gomer, who is “a promiscuous woman.” She runs away, but he finds her, buys her back, and loves her as God loves us. Hosea 2 gives us a beautiful testimony of this:
“I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘You are my God’” (Hosea 2:23).
Jesus Christ never abandons His Church. Despite our sinful nature, the Holy Spirit is a steady guide. God knows that just because we bear His seal for heaven doesn’t mean we are perfect. But His love remains steadfast.
As Hosea 14:4 says:
“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.”
Your Love Awakens Me
Phil continues to rejoice in the life-changing love of Christ with his 2016 song “Your Love Awakens Me.” This song is pure joy. This gifted artist once again uses his music to remind us of that moment when we were reborn.
In the lyrics, we rejoice in the realization that our Savior is close to us. The worship fills our hearts with excitement. We are reunited with our Creator:
You called me out of the grave
You called me into the light
You called my name
And then my heart came alive
Your love is greater
Your love is stronger
Your love awakens, awakens, awakens me
(Phil Wickham, “Your Love Awakens Me”)
Each day we walk with God, we come alive. In His Word, Christ breathes life into us. Even in hard times, we can cling to the incredible privilege we have in Jesus’ love that anchors us more deeply with each step we travel down His path.
This incredible awakening that we feel is meant to prompt us into loving others. As 1 John 2:10 says:
“Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”
True Love
“True Love” is a stunning song from Phil’s 2007 album, “Cannons.” It is a breathtaking retelling of the gospel story. Phil bids us to “come close” and “listen to the story” as he weaves a beautiful picture of Christ’s sacrifice for us on “the day that True Love died.”
In the song, Phil defines the act of God’s pure love, a love “more faithful than the morning.” The lyrics paint a picture of the amazing grace of Christ:
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died
By the end of this song, we are left speechless with awe at our God’s deep love. We simply soak in his sacrifice and let ourselves be renewed by His goodness. He is breathtaking.
Divine Romance
The last on the list is Phil Wickham’s 2006 song “Divine Romance.” Although years before his famous songs like “Battle Belongs” and “Living Hope,” it holds a similar tone to his more recent love song “Falling In Love.”
This worship song tells of Phil’s love for the Lord. He expresses his affection for Christ within the lyrics. The song itself is simplistic as the music gently accentuates the story of “Divine Romance”:
For You I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love
A deep, deep flood, an ocean flows from You
Of deep, deep love, yeah it’s filling up the room
Your innocent blood has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God I’m completely satisfied
(Phil Wickham, “Divine Romance”)
This is the story of salvation. A love story between Creator and Creation. We are built to live within our God’s love. That was always His intention for us, and Phil reminds us of that in each song he writes.
We have a God who loves us unconditionally, even though earthly love is lacking. The love of Christ is world-altering, mind-blowing, life-changing. It will never leave us.
When we experience God’s love, we can’t help but share it. It’s too good to keep locked away in our hearts. It’s too big to contain inside of us. If you have this love, share it!
If you would like to hear more songs about God’s love, tune in to Life 100.7 on the radio, on our app, or by streaming online.