afflictions eclipsed by glory
“He is jealous for me…”
The words of the song poured over me.
“Love’s like a hurricane, I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy…”
I kept it on repeat for hours on end,
days and days and days at a time…
“When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory…”
I needed the weight of it all to sink into my heart.
To sink deeper than the hurts.
“And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me…”
For a while, all I could do was listen with tear-stained cheeks.
But soon, the words poured out of me.
“Oh, how He loves us so. Oh, how He loves us. How He loves us so…”
With eyes shut tight and arms outstretched,
I poured out my heart like water before the Lord.
“Yeah He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves…”
Even still, I can’t not respond to this song.
To these words. To the truths they hold.
“So we are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes…”
When it started to play at church, my breath caught in my throat.
As I dropped my head, a smile spread across my face.
“If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking…”
The day had been hard. The week had been hard.
And God knew what I needed to remember.
“So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest…”
And He ever so sweetly, so gently reminded me.
“I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us…”
And, with music so loud I couldn’t hear myself sing,
I poured out my heart as the words poured over me once again.
“Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves…”
I love it when that happens.
my chest gets so tight when i hear this song. i can’t help but be overwhelmed by the unrelenting love of God…. i get chills just reading the words. the enormity is too great. oh, how he loves us. US! broken, bruised, bloodied, depraved creatures. oh, how he loves us.
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile without comment but my heart lit up this morning when I read this post – I’ve been praying for awhile that you would find this specific song and that it would speak to you and show you our Dad’s love in a deeper way than you thought possible. Love it!
@gritandglory says:
i’m overwhelmed to hear that you’ve been praying specifically for me to find this song. thank you.
and thank you for commenting today.
@atangie says:
Wow, Alece, that is a great song. I had never heard it before. Thank you for sharing your heart, you are amazing!
fyp
@gritandglory says:
it’s on the album “we cry out” by jesus culture. if you’re interested.
What a beautiful song. Music just tears me apart.
Yes, how He loves you … you are His, in the palm of His hand. His plans are wondrous and large and this journey will end and onto the next glorious thing He has.
I understand the wait … so hard … sometimes so long … so much to learn and walk through and yet, He walks with us.
Thank you for sharing this today. It blessed me … He loves us!
Is there anything like when you can’t sing because you are feeling so much emotion towards Him? When a song touches you that deeply? When it’s EXACTLY what He knew you needed?
There’s a song lyric I love that goes, “All I can do is groan, and You understand every word.”
My heart is full that He touched and held you this way. That you were in a crowd, but it was really just you and Him.
Amazing song. Everytime I sing it, the Spirit just washes me in the Father’s love. Incredible.
@gritandglory says:
amen.
@chrystieecole says:
Ok! I need to download that song. I have listened to it before, but you just reminded me of it. This is a point i really think God is trying to drive home in me right now…a message He is trying to carry from head knowledge to a deep, intimate, heartfelt belief. I can’t earn His love. He gives it freely, lavishly, without condition. But I have such a hard time accepting such an amazing gift…so instead I strive to be worthy of it. Constantly. I am going to download this song right now! Another wonderful post!
@gritandglory says:
i bet you’ll find yourself keeping it on repeat, too…
i love this song.
probably my favorite.
it brought me through this past season. and into this new one.
@gritandglory says:
it’s carrying me through mine, too…
Oh, thank you!
I was just trying to find this song yesterday.
“I don’t have to maintain these regrets when I think of how He loves me…
If grace is an ocean…I am sinking…”
I love this song. What a great way for god to pour out his love on you in church.
Angie you should youtube it.
@atangie says:
:-) I did. Thanks Faith.
Alece, thanks for letting me know which album it is from.
@etsetara says:
:: goosebumps ::
@gritandglory says:
[have you gotten my messages? no rush on a reply -- i understand! -- just want to be sure you've gotten them.]
@etsetara says:
YES! i have.
thank you…
my sis got married about a week ago, so things have been crazy…looking forward to catching you soon.
MUCH love.
gorgeous.
Thanks for the reminder.
That is the most spiritual song I have heard in awhile. By spiritual I mean it gives me an overwhelming feeling of love.
Thanks for inspiring me to feel loved.
@gritandglory says:
your comment was SO wonderful for me to read. for lots of reasons.
thanks, ed.
Wow ! A-maz-ing!
Will definitely be on repeat for a while
Thank you for sharing :)
@gritandglory says:
welcome to the grit, Katrina! glad you loved the song, too!
@ventigrace says:
I love this song, and I love the way you shared this…
…and I’m smiling that “scheduled” to publish I have a post about “life and lyrics”… I smile because when I see our brains thinking along similar lines… it makes me feel like you aren’t so far away.
Unbelievably beautiful, Alece. The song, and the way you’ve written this. Thank you.
@danielleH says:
i know.
that’s a frequent stop in my itunes.
@danielleH says:
also…do you have the “your love never fails” cd by Jesus culture?
so good. so. so good.
@gritandglory says:
yes! i love it! i think their newest, “consumed”, is my favorite…
when I read this, my breath was caught in my throat
my heart was stirred
there is something about this song
it awakens my heart
make me want to laugh, cry, and just sit in silence all at the same time
hearing this makes me realize how little I understand of the Lord of God
and how astoundingly beautiful it is
I want my heart to be lost in that love
@gritandglory says:
“i want my heart to be lost in that love.”
me too, friend. me too…
Love this, Alece…….
This song was/is like my summer/soul song. I sometimes wake up in the morning singing it.
@gritandglory says:
me, too.
seriously.
I can’t even READ these words without crying. ugh.
Eclipsed by his Glory. that is when daddy lays down with his two month old son as son and daddy fall off to sleep baby smiles at daddy. But when daddy wakes up baby has rolled over on to stomache. Daddy turns baby over to find him cold and purple. He spends two days digging his grave lowers his baby down a total eclipse must take place. Oh how he loves us so. Yes he love us. Oh death where is your sting? He is still alive maybe not in body but in spirit. This will be a stepping stone not a stumbling block.