When it Gets Down to It

Tweet Have you ever had a song, a piece of music, touch you in such a way as to bring you near or to tears each time you hear it? Have you ever listened to a song and just wanted to lift your hands and praise God for the Magnificent Being that He is? Have you EVER listened to a song that literally brought you into the presence of a personal worship that you just didn't want to come out of? The words in Fred Hammond's When it Gets Down to It have done that just about every time I've played it.


I was first introduced to the song several months ago when I placed the DVD on the movie cue. I had no idea - but God surely did - just how profoundly this piece of music would literally touch my soul. As I watched the DVD, I was glued to the TV. Listening to the words as I watched the movements of the singers - their passion for what they were doing and for Whom - I felt myself being transformed. I watched over and over, and my love for the song grew. Each time, the words seemed to resonate within my soul. I ordered both the DVD and the CD.

Around the Christmas holidays, my heart had become heavy, and I didn't know why. I believe, in retrospect, that it was because of thoughts of all the people I've loved that were no longer here, those who had gone on to be with the Lord, those who were just far away in miles and some who were for one reason or another no longer in my life. Home from work, all I wanted to do was cry. Before even getting settled in, I turned on the CD player and started the song. Almost immediately, my soul began to feel the spiritual nourishment it had been missing.

You're the joy inside my tears
and my comfort through the pain
Your touch relieves my fears
When it's dry You send the rain...

As the music played, and I soaked in the words, I began to feel a deep abiding love for Christ and for all He is to me. I was near tears, but not ready to let them fall. The rhythm of the music, the flow of the words, the beat of the drums that mimicked my very own heartbeat, the continuous words of adoration and thanks and the wondrous love that God has for us and us for Him, created in me a desire to worship as I had never worshiped before.

When it gets down to it
You're all I have
You're all I need
All in my soul there's a praise
for You

That day, I became so overjoyed in the knowledge of God's love that I could not stop praising and worshiping Him. Finally, the tears were released, and with them, a refreshing like nothing I'd felt in a long time. By the time I was done, I had listened to the song at least four or five times, and my personal praise session had lifted my soul out of the dry valley and into the renewing rivers of thanksgiving.

Today, as I sat at my favorite writing spot, I plugged in the headphones as I started the song, and inspired to write, my heart became full again. I realized that the initial feelings I experienced with this song are deep and lasting, for as I closed my eyes to soak in the words, my eyes began to well up. My soul was thanking God for His goodness, His everlasting mercy and His unconditional love.

Thinking about how many people have gone from my life, I remembered the words of the Lord as He tells us that Jesus is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) When we bid farewell to loved ones, when geographic distance is between us, when friends abandon our friendships despite our constant attempts to "hold on", God is always there with open arms and a loving embrace.

When it gets down to it, God's love is all that truly matters because His love shows us how to love others, despite differences, distances, disagreements, obstacles, opinions, good times, bad times, and everything in between.

You’re so beautiful, beautiful
Lord You know You’re more than
Wonderful, Wonderful
So incredible, ‘credible
And I’m so in love
with you.

(NOTE: Quoted lyrics are from Fred Hammond's When it Gets Down to It) Tweet