Gateway Family,
This Sunday we are excited to introduce a new song to you: Your Words are Wonderful
To help you learn it, you may listen to on these platforms:
YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
(Note - Those services may show ads and song recommendations outside of our control)
Below is a reflection on this song from Stephen Bray who serves on our praise team. Please take a moment to read it and think about these glorious truths as we prepare for Sunday morning....
REFLECTIONS ON "YOUR WORDS ARE WONDERFUL"
Stephen Bray
This Sunday, the praise team will introduce a new song called “Your Words Are Wonderful.” The title, like most of the song’s lyrics, draws from Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible and the most sustained meditation in Scripture on the nature and work of God’s Word. This song gives us language to consider Scripture with gratitude and trust, asking the Lord to shape our lives by what He has spoken and revealed in Christ.
The first verse of the song describes the beauty, strength, and sustaining power of God’s Word. It invites us to stand on God’s promises as the foundation beneath our feet in every season of life:
“Your words are wonderful, unfolding like the dawn
A wellspring and the rock we rest upon
We trust Your promises that keep our hope alive
They steady us throughout life’s weary climb.”
The second verse brings us directly to the heart of the gospel. It reminds us that we are wholly dependent upon God’s grace to be made alive in Christ, to be declared righteous through His finished work, and to be daily transformed into His likeness. The final line, “No guilt remains for those You have redeemed,” expresses the glorious truth of Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” encouraging us to look to the finished work of Christ as the assurance of our salvation and not to our own performance:
“Come write Your holy truth upon our longing hearts
And strengthen us to shine against the dark
Lord, guard us from the lies the enemy will speak
No guilt remains for those You have redeemed.”
The chorus reinforces our dependence on God and references Peter’s declaration in John 6:68 - “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Christ alone has the words that give life, because He is the Bread of Life, the Word made flesh, and the way to the Father. The Scriptures give life because they are breathed out by God, reveals His Son, and form His people in holiness:
“Where else can we go? Where else can we go?
You have the words of life, the words of life.”
Just as the verses and chorus point us to the truth and goodness of God's Word, the bridge reminds us that prayer is essential to our obedience. It teaches us to pray like the psalmist in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law,” and with the urgency and honesty of the man in Mark 9:24, “I believe; help my unbelief”. As Grady often teaches us, Christians do not white-knuckle their way to heaven. God strengthens the weak, answers those who call for help, and gives new mercies every morning:
“Give us ears to hear and eyes to see
Help us in our doubt and unbelief.”
As we prepare to sing this song together, let us look to Christ, the Living Word, whose earthly life was marked by full obedience to the Scriptures. When He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He did not respond with displays of power, but with the Word of God, saying, “It is written.” His obedience shows us that God's Word is sufficient for every trial and every calling. And because we are united to Him by faith, we are called to walk in that same truth.
As you prepare for Sunday worship, I encourage you to take time to listen to “Your Words Are Wonderful” and reflect on the goodness of God’s Word. Consider its truth, its power to give life, and its strength to sustain you in seasons of temptation, doubt, and weariness. Ask the Lord to soften your heart to receive its instruction and to strengthen you to rest in its promises.