Oh snap, we have made it to the last song on Hillsong United’s latest album. I have this bittersweet feeling inside right now. I’ve enjoyed digging in deep into these tunes, but even more so I’ve enjoyed reading the thoughts and views of our guests blogger’s each day. Speaking of, today’s guest blogger to dig into Yours Forever is Matt Lloyd. Matt is a singer/song writer. He is currently the lead singer of the band MLP(Matt Lloyd Project) and also leads worship at a church here in Muncie, IN called The Bridge. Matt has been a good friend of mine for a few years. I’m excited to read what his thoughts are on this song, the lyrics, and Hillsong’s decision to place this track last on the album.
Listen to: Yours Forever
Say His Name within the darkest hour
And see His light illuminate our path
The road is narrow but our gaze is set
On the love of Christ ‘til the very endWe walk in the truth that overcame our sin
Leaving our past and how we once had lived
Giving our lives to see
Your Name made known
‘Cause the love of Christ is what the world needs mostSo Lord
Lead us in the ways of Your love
To lead a broken world to Your cross
Lead us in the ways of Your loveWe are Yours forever
Our lives won’t be the same
Yours forever our eyes won’t turn away
Yours foreverWe sing Your praises ‘til our lungs give out
To the hope of the world
The One who gave us life
Giving our lives to see
Your Name made known
‘Cause the love of Christ is
What the world needs mostWe are Yours forever
Our lives won’t be the same
Yours forever our eyes won’t turn away
Yours forever our lives won’t be the same
Yours forever our eyes won’t turn awayWe’re living in the One who gave
His life to see our sin erased
We know
We know
Our hope is never gonna fade away
So here we are at the final track of the new Hillsong United record. So many times at the end of a record a band will throw in the slow, drawn out piano or acoustic emotional song that would never work in the middle of a record. But of course by now we should expect different from HU. Instead, they end the record with a blazin’, heavy, fist pumpin, guitar wailing, drumstick breakin’, bass shakin’, mosh pit making anthem called “Yours Forever”. As a guitar player, I would have to say if I could play on one song on the whole record, this would probably be the one I would pick. Their riffs are very solid, quick, and musical, and the way the drum beat switches between full time and double time gives the song such powerful dynamic. Suprisingly, from a musical standpoint, the first band that I think of when I hear this song is AFI for some reason.
Moving onto the meat of the song however, which would be the lyrics, it is instantly clear why they would put this song at the end of the record. HU’s whole goal is to focus our hearts and praise to our Creator through music with passion. So what a better song to end on then the anthem of “Yours Forever”. There is nothing overly spiritual or discreet in the album’s final track, just the pouring out and totally giving yourself over to the one who made us for His worship, and screaming til your lungs give out,
“We are Yours forever
Our lives won’t be the same
Yours forever our eyes won’t turn away
Yours forever”
Putting this song as the last track shows a lot of confidence and sticks to the direction of the album as a whole. This could easily be a top 5 track on the record in terms of CCM radio rock tunes, but they chose to end the record with a clear, heart pouring, sing until you can’t sing anymore message.
As you can see in the lyrics Kyle has posted above, the song has a pretty clear message, we are Yours forever because He is the only one who can see us through life. Jesus is the one who we call to in our darkest hour, in our addiction, and He is the only one who can painstakingly hold our hand as we very slowly crawl through life and work so failingly at times to stay on the narrow path He is wanting to lead us down. But the one thing is clear, He leads us and never leaves. Then the bridge lyric sums it up one last time, Jesus has already paid the price, our sin is forgiven, we were not made to live in guilt and shame. We were forgiven through Jesus and we have a full life to live in Him and that is why we can fall to our knees or stretch our hands to the sky and sing with everything in our weak little bodies to the Creator of all good things, “I’m Yours forever!!”
Well…that’s it. That’s all there is to this album. Take a moment now if you have missed a few, or if this is your first, and head to THIS POST and read and listen to all of the other songs. It will truly change your life and your outlook on this album.
If you enjoyed Yours Forever, be sure to go HERE, and purchase the song or entire album. Also make sure you check out Matt Lloyd and his band MLP Band on his MySpace page; Matt Lloyd Project MySpace.
At any time you can go to the “Featured” section on the right and click on the Hillsong United a_CROSS//the_EARTH post to find the link to a review on each song that has been reviewed so far.
