"Have you ever had a dynamic encounter with the Living God? I saw a flash of light, and I heard the sound of a voice like thunder shake the ground! When I first met God, it didn’t look anything like that. But when I relive that moment in my spirit I realize that was truly what it felt like and did to the inside of me. It wasn’t about me 'finding' God, as if He hadn’t been there all along. It was a whole lot more like simply waking up; like He'd reached down into the room and made Himself known."
-– Mike Weaver, Big Daddy Weave

"You Found Me" is the first song on the amazing album What Life Would Be Like by Big Daddy Weave, one of my top 10 favorite albums of 2008. Currently, "You Found Me" is a top 20 hit for this great band. As a former saxophone player from 5th grade through college, the first time I heard the great saxophone part at the end of this song, I was hooked immediately by both the music and the amazing description of what it feels like to have an encounter with God. Having been heavily influenced by Jars of Clay and Christian music in leading me to seek a personal relationship with Jesus, this song is also my story relative to the tingle I felt the first time I truly had an encounter with God.

I got the great chance to interview Mike Weaver, an amazing and funny guy, about the album and the story behind the song. You can listen to the full interview here.

How would you describe the themes of the album What Life Would Be Like?

The whole album comes from the place of our relationship with God--as believers and also as people. As a believer who grew up in the church, we talk the Christian talk, instead of saying who we really are. The older we get, I hope the less polished we get and the more real it gets. We want our message to be transparent. We want to be somebody for God, but we know that puts off more people than it reaches. So we really want to be real about what hurts us because God says, 'I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life.'

The main theme is all about our transformation by the renewing of our minds. We can’t work hard to transform ourselves, God has to do the transforming. Surrender our lives in such a way that we can let God come in and so something different, allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

Galatians 5:22
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

What is the main message of "You Found Me," especially the line in the chorus that says "I’ve never felt so free". Is it based on a personal encounter?

When we wrote the song, we wanted to talk about the way we meet Jesus. There was this time I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Every Sunday and every Wednesday, I was singing these songs to God, and I came to a place in my life where I wanted God to show me who He is. Mike asked if I remembered the movie The Prince of Egypt. I was so haunted by the scene of when Moses meets God in the burning bush. I said "God I want to know You like that." It was like God came to my living room. I felt scared to move, the presence of God was so real. He flooded my mind with pictures from His creation, with mountains with snow caps and little pebbles at the bottom and oceans that were so wide and deep. I felt the voice of God speaking in my heart telling me "I want you to know me."

I don’t think I’m ever going to recover from that. No one can ever take away an encounter with God.

Revelation 12:11
11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

This song is my attempt to explain what that encounter was like for me. I was haunted by the things of God. I met Him and I can’t turn away from that.

Lyrics to "You Found Me"
I saw three AM come and go again
Another sleepless night, thanks to living my own way
All my great ideas, I’ve regretted most of them
But that was back long before the day

When I saw a flash of light and I heard the sound
Of a voice like thunder shake the ground
It was the first time I remember ever feeling my heartbeat
And the arms that gripped me felt like grace
And I realized in their embrace
To be held so tight
I’ve never felt so free
Also known as the day that you found me

My whole life has changed ever since the day You came
The way I see, the things I want, it’s everything
Some may call it strange, I don’t care what people say
I knew You were the only way

I’ve never known a love like this
You’ve captured my heart and You brought the sweetest
Peace to my life, brought me into the light
Now I’m all Yours, Jesus, draw me into You

I don’t think that I could ever be the same
Who would want to be anyway

Wow! I actually get chills when I listen to this song now, especially when I think about that encounter that Mike and I discussed. My salvation experience was very similar. I was in my car listening to a Christian music album and at the end of the album the artist shared his personal testimony, which was also my story. I finally admitted to myself and God that I am a sinner and I can’t save myself. I pulled to the side of the road and just sobbed as I was invited to join in saying the sinners prayer. I confessed my sins, begged for forgiveness and I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. I felt the presence of God there with me in my car and I’ve never been the same.

Like Mike sings in the song, "my whole has changed ever since the day You came, the way I see, the things I want, I don’t care what people say, I knew You were the only way". What a great message!

You can listen to the song here.