Behind The Song: Love Has Come

NRT Contributor Kevin Davis hits a milestone in his "Behind The Song" devotional series, posting his 100th edition featuring Mark Schultz.

One of Christian music’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters, Mark Schultz’s first new studio album in nearly three years is also his most personal recording to date, inviting listeners to “come alive” through these songs birthed by stories of hope, loss, joy and redemption. I've been collecting Mark Schultz since his debut self-titled album and his sincere songwriting and pure vocals have always caught my attention. The emotion behind his songs "He's My Son," "When You Come Home," "Letters From War," "Walking Her Home" and "Everything To Me" have all made my regular rotation of my favorite songs of the past 10 years in Christian music. Come Alive, Mark's 5th studio recording, is his crowning achievement. From the emotional power behind the first single, "He Is," a great follow-up to hit song "I Am," to his story-song of encouragement, "Live Like You're Loved," and the gospel-choir backed "Love Has Come," this album had me singing along in praise to my God and Savior from start to finish.

I got the chance to interview Mark about his album and current single “Love Has Come.” You can listen to our entire interview here.

Please share the background that led you to write the song “Love Has Come.”

I am more of a story songwriter, but at my live shows, I really love to sing corporate worship songs. I always wanted to write a song that the audience could really sing with me and lift their hands in worship to our Savior Jesus. I co-wrote this song with Matthew West. The first part we wrote was the chorus, which started as the bridge: “Every knee shall bow, Every tongue confess, That God is love, And love has come for us all.” I came home and sang it for my wife, and she said, "No, that has to be the chorus!" My wife is really good with music, so I followed her advice.

Then we wrote another bridge: “Glory, glory, hallelujah, Thank You for the cross, Singing glory, glory, hallelujah, Christ has paid the cost.”

So we had two bridges with no verses. Then we wrote the verses, and we knew we really had something. We sang it for our producer Brown Bannister, and he said, “You know what? This song really needs a bridge,” which was hilarious since it already had two bridges. So Brown helped us write “Oh, and on that day, We will stand amazed, At our Savior, God and King, Just to see the face, Of amazing grace, As our hearts rise up and sing.”

Now we really had something special. I’ve never written a song with three bridges and two verses, but this song really moves me and really turned out great.

Please tell me about the Bible verses you used in writing the song.

Philippians 2:5-11: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—-even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

How has that passage and the message of this song been a part of your life?

I was at my home church in Wichita, Kansas and Jeff Gannon, the minister at Chapel Hill Fellowship, gave a sermon about how turtles were getting smashed on the road because they live in their shells and think they can save themselves. Often times people live like a turtle in their shells. As Jeff described, the only way to save a turtle is to become a turtle, which is what Jesus did by coming down and becoming man. As prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 45:22-24 and fulfilled by Jesus, one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That day will ultimately happen as described in Revelation.

Here are the lyrics to “Love Has Come”:

I know this life is filled with sorrow
And there are days when the pain just lasts and lasts
But I know there will come a day
When our tears are washed away
With a break in the clouds
His glory coming down
And in that moment

Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That God is love
And love has come for us all
Every heart set free
Every one will see
That God is love
And love has come for us all

For anybody who has ever lost a loved one
And you feel like you had to let go too soon
I know it hurts to say goodbye
But don't you know it's just a matter of time
'Til the tears are gonna end
You'll see them once again
And in that moment

Oh, and on that day
We will stand amazed
At our Savior, God and King
Just to see the face
Of amazing grace
As our hearts rise up and sing

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Thank You for the cross
Singing glory, glory, hallelujah
Christ has paid the cost

What’s most amazing about our Savior Jesus is that of all the ways He could have chosen to save us, He chose to come down and be the least among us and a suffering servant. The main message of the song is to hold on to Christ, as something better is coming. The grace that God offers in the crux of the song, ultimately the bridge “Just to see the face, Of amazing grace, As our hearts rise up and sing” is what really moves me and guides me in my Christian walk, which is to live every day for Heaven. This is an amazing song to sing at the top of our lungs “Thank You for the cross.”