Singer/songwriter Brandon Heath last made his mark with his impressive full-length album, Enough Already, which was my top album of 2022. That album included the hit songs "Human Nature" and "See Me Through It." He offers a musical style reminiscent of John Waller, John Tibbs, and Josh Wilson. Brandon has strong vocals, personal lyrics, and a testimony of grace that can be heard in each song. His follow-up single, "He Does," is one of the most uplifting, challenging, and encouraging songs of the year. The song is the lead single from Heath's eighth studio album and second LP with Centricity Music, The Ache, slated to release later this year.
Whether as an artist to set the mood for reflection and worship or for personal times of devotion, I rank Brandon Heath highly for fans of truth-telling singer-songwriters. Brandon's vulnerability and ability to connect emotionally in his songs brings me closer to God. I had the chance to speak with Brandon about "He Does."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
I was thinking about all the things we forget the Lord covers. He fills our needs in wild abundance and lavishes His love on us in crazy ways. We often miss it. So, this song was my fun, upbeat way of saying, "Oh, by the way, God does all that--He does."
Sometimes, I think, "I wish,"--I wish I could spend more time with my girls. I wish there was world peace. Even the noblest wish is not as good as asking God for a prayer. We don't have to wish, we can ask. We have a God that is all-knowing, all-seeing, all-loving... He does all of that because He loves us.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Romans 8:28 (VOICE): "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan."
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV): "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
Romans 15:13 (NIV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV): "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Philippians 1:6 (NKJV): "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV): But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
What is the takeaway message?
I found myself wishing a lot... so I decided I'm not going to wish anymore. I'm just going to pray. And this song is kind of making fun of myself and putting it in the terms of not wishing but asking because God gives, and He gives abundantly, and He has that kind of power.
Sometimes it's easy to go through the motions and forget that God cares deeply about us and our prayers. 1 John 5:14-15 reminds us "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him." And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Lyrics
Wouldn't if be great if there was an answer
A quench for the heart, a cure for cancer
Holding us close like a tiny dancer
With plenty of love for everyone
Wouldn't it be cool if we had a direct line
Straight to the top we could call anytime
Whatever the reason or inclination
With no hesitation
If only there was somebody watching over us
Oh He does
He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He is He was
What if it was true
Knows you more than you
He does He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He lives He loves
What if Jesus saves
Oh by the way He does
Wish there was a love, a love unconditional
Maybe our condition wasn't so critical
Bless our politicians they're so political
They don't work miracles but
He does He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He is He was
What if it was true
Knows you more than you
He does He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He lives He loves
What if Jesus saves
Oh by the way
He knows us
He sees us
There ain't no one love me like Jesus
Found me in the night
Brought me to the light
I'm not who I was
No one loves me like He does
He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He is He was
What if it was true
Knows you more than you
He does He does He does He does
Oh by the way He does
He lives He loves
What if Jesus saves
Oh by the way He does
Closing Thoughts
Being a Christian means we walk by faith, not by sight. Faith requires people to rely on the unseen. We walk by faith every day. The beauty of walking by faith and not by sight is that we can learn to trust God more with our lives.
Righteousness was accredited to Abraham for his faith. We need the faith that the Bible describes in Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
In the Bible, God says that if we walk by faith, we can do anything in Christ. I'm completely convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song filled with biblical truth.
We can face our daily battles with more courage and strength because we know that whatever the outcome, based on His promise in Romans 8:28, "God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
We all need our great God to fix our messes and turn them into messages in some way. He gives us grace. The beauty of grace is that it's not something we deserve or can earn--it's a gift from our great God. So many people can relate to the song's message. He is a God of infinite second chances.
This is one of my favorite songs of the year. We serve a loving and merciful God who accepts us as we are, not who we pretend to be. I love singing this song back to Jesus, telling Him plainly that I need no other than Him. This anthem of praise is a daily prayer. It asks God to come and change our hearts and lives in such a way that our behavior and the way we live flow from Him living inside of us. What a powerful expression of what it means to accept that God never leaves or forsakes us. He is all we need.
One of the lessons I've learned in life is that we shouldn't wait to fix ourselves before we step out in faith. Look for ways to obey God and offer your faith to Him. Read your Bible daily and get that reminder to not be afraid.
Brandon writes and sings his breath, given to him by God, into anointed new songs to encourage us. You'll be blessed by this encouraging song which is a stand-out upbeat anthem with a convicting declaration: "He knows us/He sees us/There ain't no one love me like Jesus/Found me in the night/Brought me to the light/I'm not who I was/No one loves me like He does." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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