This song has been popping up in my life again lately.
The origins of this song for me? Started in October 2004 when I was learning songs for my 3-week music missions tour in New England with the Continental Singers. Ruth passed me Rachael Lampa's Kaleidoscope album upon seeing the song list for my tour. I was very moved by the song and its words, not to mention Rachael Lampa's delicious vocals. And as God would have it, I was allocated the solo for this song on the tour and in spite of my insecurities and inabilities in hitting those high, sustained notes (the song was sung a semitone higher than original key) and a bad throat, my tour mates were encouraging and felt that God was using me each time to minister through that beautiful song.
More recently, Dorothy asked me early this year if I knew of any suitable songs for Easter and I recommended No Greater Love, by Rachael Lampa from her third album, Kaleidoscope. She later shared that she was moved by the song and choreographed a dance for it in 30 minutes. I saw the dance at their practice and felt she captured the essence of the song well.
Von, Ruth and I also sang this song during our worship cum singing session (reminiscing the songs we used to sing together) in Perth. I had shared this song with Von after the US trip.
Been also meditating on Isaiah, as part of the allocated readings for facilitators for women's BTW, and God is just opening my eyes and heart to the wonder of Him being the Alpha, the Beginning, where the former things were/began.
Is 41:22 ".. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come."
Is 42:9 "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Is 43:9 ".. who among them [Israel's idols] can declare this, and show us the former things?"
Is 43:18-19 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Is 46:8-9 "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me.
Is 48:3 "The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth and I announced them; then suddenly I did them and they came to pass."
Is 44:6 "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.'"
Is 48:12-17 "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together. Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken and called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way. Draw near to me, hear this: 'from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.' And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.And God reminded me of the words to the verse of No Greater Love again.
That intimate knitting and creating of me in my mother's womb.
Of each one of us.
Way before I was even created, God knew me.
God knew you.
I am already I am.
You are already You are.
NO GREATER LOVE
Rachael Lampa
[uploaded under Personal Favs of My Music]
Before I knew Your Name,
You knew my ev’ry breath.
Before I found my way,
You knew my ev’ry step.
Before I knew everything that I need,
You gave it all to me.
No greater love
than this…
That You should lay down Your life
For someone such as me;
I’d spend a lifetime wondering why.
The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love than this.
I never understood
How merciful Love could be,
Until I felt His Flame
Light every part of me
And I would give everything that I am
’ Cause I have been saved;
Yes, I have been saved!
No greater love
than this…
That You should lay down Your life
For someone such as me;
I’d spend a lifetime wondering why.
The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love.
Oh, oh oh, oh
oh, woah…
The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love...
For someone such as me.
No greater love...than this.
