THIS IS MY GOD
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
This song was written as a declaration of the nature, truth and reality of Christ, what He gave and was willing to give to restore mankind to the heart of the Father and to right standing with Him. It was written at a time in my life where I felt like I was facing especially confrontational and accusatory reactions to my faith in Jesus and my decision to walk through this life serving Him and standing for the truth He had revealed to me.
I had a number of people mock my faith and attempt to question and undermine the reality of my God, despite the fact that my life itself and the changes I have undergone as a person serve as a powerful testimony to His miraculous nature. I am still a work in progress, but I trust and can hope that those around me can see the transforming power of God in my life.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
There were a lot of questions put forward to me that I struggled in the moment to answer well and it left me feeling overwhelmed and in some ways defeated. There were those who I really sensed were seeking truth and wanted to understand, but there were also those who I knew were not truly interested in my response, but rather had determined in their heart to prove a point.
As I found myself in the midst of this trying season, I felt a question emerge from my heart: “Who is your God and why is He different to other (manmade) gods?”
This song was written from the basis of that single question and where I felt I had faltered in my immediate response to my critics, here I found myself declaring in song the reality of Christ, which didn’t simply persevere through broken sentences as I had previously attempted to explain the incredible exchange that had taken place in my heart and life when I traded my sin and brokenness for righteousness and wholeness in Christ. This song felt effortless and was a powerful tool of declaration for me in a season where the affronts were more common than usual.
I came away from writing this song with a real sense of where so many people are at - hurt, lonely and searching for answers.
The ones that really stood out to me in this entire experience were those who I felt were truly searching. They were searching for Him, even if they didn’t fully realise it at the time.
I can see the void they have, which I know cannot be filled by anyone but Him, something, which I can boldly say as it has been my own experience.
My journey has, even at this early stage in my life, been long, and the work that my Father in heaven has accomplished in my heart has been deep. My prayer is that, regardless of the opinions and actions of those around me, the gravity of my convictions concerning the truth of Christ will continue to match the depth of the work that He has and continues to do in my heart and life.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
I'm not great at answering questions on the spot and I don't have all the answers, but I have learnt that as Christians, we need to be ready, because the need out there is vast and more and more people are going to see a light in us, and want to know why we shine differently to anyone or anything else they have experienced.
Although these experiences were challenging at the times, I am so thankful to have had them as I was inspired and encouraged to write a song about who my God is and why He is the one true Heavenly Father.
I don't follow an organised religion - I follow Christ and pursue a personal relationship with Him, and you can too.
May you find yourself in service and personal relationship with a God who you can say with confidence is for you and not against you, who is at work in your heart and life to bring you into the fullness of truth and freedom, who will never leave you or forsake you.
In love,
Hannah Fay