Great Are You, Lord - All Sons & Daughters

Sometimes simple songs with a few lyrics make a bigger impression on me. Sometimes contexts when I have heard a song make a bigger impression on me. And sometimes, those two things collide, and a song takes on a power bigger than anything could be by itself.

My first weekend leading worship officially was Dec 31, 2016. Why do I know that date? Because my father unexpectedly passed on Dec 29... and two days later I chose to lead worship (lest some of you get after my worship pastor for allowing me to lead, it was very much my choice, not something he forced me to do). You see, our church is very much our family. While grieving, I needed to be with my family.

On that Saturday night we led this song. And the words took on a new meaning, as I thought about the fact that God is the one who "gives life" and "restores the hearts that are broken". As I watched my father in the hospital, I watched machines put oxygen into his lungs for him. And I had the choice - do I praise God in the midst of the pain, or do I get mad and try to take control? How do I use the breath that God has put into my lungs? Do I pour it out in praise? Do I allow him to pour new life into my lungs, and restore my heart that has been broken? Or do I wallow in the pain?

Please don't get me wrong - I am not advocating for not feeling, or not grieving. I was truly broken in that moment. The loss was huge. But the opportunity to be very real, broken, and still praising God is what sped me on my journey towards healing and grieving well. Finding the way to praise in the middle of pain is finding the way towards God. To recognize that He is so much bigger than me, and knows so much more, can comprehend so much more.

"And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord"



You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Leonard / Jason Ingram / Leslie Jordan
Great Are You Lord lyrics © Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group