Although it remains unfathomable, we're approaching the end of 2023. Some incredible songs have dropped across all genres this year. I have had the honor of writing about many of them in this series, The Worship Reflective. I will summarize the content with my favorites from the past 12 months. I hope you enjoy these worship anthems as much as I do.
"Heart & Flesh" by Leeland and TAYA
"Jesus, You are all I want
Jesus, You are all my soul desires
Jesus, You are all I need
My heart and my flesh
Cry out for You."
This melody is unique because it is home to the voice of worship leader Taya Gaukrodger (Hillsong UNITED) alongside praise artist Leeland Mooring and reflects the most profound human desire. As the singers sang, "My heart and my flesh cry out to You," the sound inspired me.
It can be easy to focus on my list of material wants when I try to figure out what I must buy this week. Perhaps it will be new clothes, a phone case, or some new overpriced merch at yet another concert (my closet asserts that their marketing techniques defeat me regularly). But easy is sometimes the same thing as simple. And although swiping my card might be easy, I understand that simplicity only resides in the true longing for Jesus.
An encounter with Him rocked my world and changed my perspective on what I want in life (hint: it's not another T-shirt). He continues to prove Himself to me and brings me to the same conclusion. I want Jesus. Do you?
"Light of the World" by AOH Music
"I can't live without You
I need You more each day
I can't live without You
There's no other way."
God's love constantly flows, but I often find my devotion more like an emergency room-ready pulse. Shaky and unsure, all watching detected some beats, and some were so faint I couldn't tell if they occurred. This flakiness of the human condition makes me even more inclined to bask in his eternal grace, though.
As worship band AOH Music sings, "I need You more each day," as I progress through life, I find even more reasons to adore my Lord. As a structured person, I appreciate consistency. I'm grateful for His unwavering love. The singers repeated it a few times in this melody, but it never hurts to hear it again. God, "I can't live without You." I hope He brings you to the same realization, as painfully humbling as it may be; life will be all the better for it.
"Fear of God" by Brooke Ligertwood
"We may not win every battle, but He wins the war
Christ is coming, and there's only so long He'll wait."
These two lines stood out to me and barely needed context. Worship singer Brooke Ligertwood speaks against discouragement when admitting we will not win every struggle we are pitted against; that fact can wear the Spirit down. She quickly reminds her listeners that God remains faithful despite this hard-to-swallow truth. Even more than that, He will never be knocked off His throne of victory.
We can say that Christ is coming, in passing, happy to live our own lives as we please. But when Brooke follows it up with, "There's only so long He'll wait," the statement regains power. Indeed, His coming is not some indefinite event that will never occur. We're approaching His return and must recognize our responsibilities while pursuing personal agendas. Let's refocus our hearts on Him and begin to worship Him in a fear resemblant of reverence, not nonchalance. I pray He will position your perspective in awe of Him.
"Holy" by Steffany Gretzinger
"Let His fire fill your soul
Offer Him what matters most
Lift Him up
Lift Him up."
Raw praise. That's what this song is. Worship singer Steffany Gretzinger truly blows me away every time. Elements in their raw form are often dismissed as yet to be ready, needing more purification before we accept them as a whole. However, what if worship is preciously perfect before it gets processed?
Rawness doesn't have to be unsatisfactory, nor do we have to dismiss it as immature. It is the most genuine expression of nature we've ever experienced. It happens at the moment before overthinking and hesitation set in, and it's a precious moment that I hate leaving behind when I turn away from the altar and face the world once more.
But you know what? The altar doesn't always have to be a physical place. Laying our burdens down and accepting His peace can just as well be a mindset, and that is something we don't have to leave behind after church. The Holy Spirit is a gift of His presence that walks with us. Let's praise Him and thank Him for this blessing without a filter today. Let us be raw in our worship of the genuinely Holy One.
"Daybreak" by VIVE Worship
"When the morning comes
Lord, You wait with mercies new
I see Your light; it's breaking through."
In the song, praise band VIVE Worship spends minimal time describing the past lives of sinners. Instead, the team emphasizes the new path of those who are saved. This significance is proof of their reliance on the Lord, an excellent model for Christians. Regardless of our stage in considering our walk with God, we are saved.
There is no need to dwell on the past; anxiety over what has already occurred can make it more challenging to progress in faith. I understand the trauma some may have gone through, and I do not intend to minimize that. But, it remains essential that whatever we leave at the altar stays there. It takes trust, but I pray that you will begin to believe His "goodness will follow" wherever you go.
Selena Schulz is NRT’s youngest staff contributor. She loves God, music, reading, and writing.
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