This article expands the lyrics of the titular song. Play it from YouTube in the background and enjoy worshipping God as you read this.
This article expands the lyrics of the titular song. Play it in the background and enjoy worshipping God as you read this.
Behold the Father’s heart
The dictionary definition of ‘behold’ is to see or observe someone or something, particularly when that person or object is of remarkable or impressive nature.
There tends to be a high word association between ‘behold’ and things of God. Most aspects of God are deservedly both remarkable and impressive. We believe in a triune God; behold! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Behold!
As we dig a little deeper, we can consider the heart and will of God.
We worship a God who loves us, and notwithstanding the limitations of our human understanding, we recognise and can put aspects of His love into words. The way God slowly reveals more of His nature to us is part of the wonderful relationship we can build with Him.
When we meditate and focus on how awesome and great our God is, things melt into perspective. Innately, we are told that we are all made in His image. In this way, there is a part of us that will always recognise the divine aspects from which we come from. For some, that concept gets corrupted with our pride into egotistic thinking that we are Gods. However, the pure and simple truth is rather that we, being made in His image, cry out to be reunited with Him. Further, our desires to be with Him are echoed in His own desire to be with us too.
If we focus on God with pure mind, we get a sense of His might and overwhelming presence that permeates the world around us. All creation cries out in worship of Him, and everything pales in comparison to Him, our Creator and God. He is like the sun to us minuscule candles.
Father God is perfect. He would never fail us. He cannot fail us. His perfect love conquers all and is incomparable to all other forms of love which are merely imitations.
Behold His holy son
Jesus – behold! Fully God and fully man. Behold. Jesus came into the world, born to the virgin Mary, lived and died. Jesus is the Lion of Judah; behold!
As written by the Apostle John in the book of Revelation, Jesus is the root of David who has and will conquer all, particularly during His second coming aka the End Times.
John also wrote that in the beginning was the Word (John chapter 1 verse 1). The Word was with God and was God – all references again to Jesus as the Son of God and this aspect of our triune God.
Even though He is glorious and all-powerful, we can still know Him.
We can know our Saviour and He can identify with our humanity, because He also experienced the human life. Returning to the earlier thought, because we innately recognise God, our soul will also recognise our Saviour or the things that of Him.
Jesus lived for a purpose. He lived and died for the sake of our sins, which nailed Him to the cross at Calvary. This was all God’s intention and part of His grand design.
The Jewish prophecies all foretold of Jesus’ coming, and His role as Messiah. For all his righteousness and lacking in sin, Jesus still died for us sinners. God’s grace revealed through Jesus was also God’s justice. The sacrifice of Jesus and the shedding of His blood ensures our salvation and restoration to God.
The story could have ended there, but it was far from over. Indeed, did the evil one prematurely consider the death of Jesus a triumph over God? Perhaps. Then on the third day, God played His triumph card and Jesus rose from the dead; behold!
Behold I have a friend
Since the first century, millions of believers have been proclaiming the risen Christ. From an obscure corner of the Roman Empire rose this movement of followers bringing the Good News wherever they went. God was no longer an abstraction, but a real live person in Jesus.
As recorded by John (chapter 15 verse 26) God would send the Helper who is the Spirit of truth; He would tell everyone about God. In this way, the followers had a friend and helper in the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit breathed out on the early church taught and showed us all – that God was and is with us, our ever present help.
And to this day, countless people can call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Holy Spirit helps us speak truth and gives us confidence. To those with broken hearts, God can light up your life. Jesus can be your comforter during times of trial and testing.
The presence of God through Holy Spirit can also be like the Kingdom of God having arrived. Holy Spirit, let Your work in us be done.
So let us sing from the depths of our souls, of how great His Love is.
How great is our God? Recently, in Hobart Tasmania, acontingent of Samoan seasonal workers was filmed singing worship from their hotel balconies – How Great Is Our God: ABC Hobart / Facebook.
Join with them as we all lift up the sound of praise before His throne of grace. I love it how Behold (Then Sings My Soul) actually takes direct inspiration from How Great is Our God!
Behold the Lord is our God. He will lead us home.
Nic Lee works by day as a Business Analyst Consultant whilst, outside of business hours, maintains an IT support & website services business. He volunteers with 89.9 LightFM (Christian Community Radio). Nic has served for over twenty years in his local church, in worship, technology consulting, life group leading and event management.
