Hi there! I am Sjoerd. I am a songwriter, worship leader and CCM-artist from the Netherlands. Two months ago, me and my band released our first album: Part Your Heavens. After recording and releasing a few singles, we felt like it was time for our very first album. So exciting! The title song of the album, ‘Part Your Heavens’, is exactly where I want to talk about today.
Just like any other artist, the past year has been rough for us. Since COVID-19 hit, everything that was normal has become different. Although everything that has been steady for so long changed, a few things where good about it. For instance: I had all the time in the world to work on new songs, to seek more intimacy with God and to really go back to the heart of worship, like Matt Redman called it some years ago.
While the Lord took me deeper in relationship with Him, I became hungrier to the unknown, more hungry for His presence and I longed for more of Him. This is exactly what’s in this this song. Its lyrics come straight from scripture. In Psalm 144, written by king David, David praises God for His goodness and mercy and prays to God to deliver him from foreign tribes and kings.
This was my cry at the time I wrote it with my good friend, Talitha Govers. I didn’t know what the future held or what was about to come my way, but even though I wanted to praise God. Even if it meant that I had to deal with stuff that I didn’t feel like I was ready for.
When David faced Goliath, he didn’t talk about how dangerous Goliath was, or how afraid he was of Goliath, but about how great God is. That’s what ‘Part Your Heavens’ is all about. A proclamation of God’s presence in the midst of my toughest battles, even those that have not yet come to pass.
I pray that You’ll have to faith today to proclaim this over your own life. Let God take the wheel and, I’m sorry for stealing your line TobyMac, just let yourself be the backseat driver. He will Part His heavens and all you need to do is to trust in Him alone, praise Him alone and water Your soil with His Word. He is faithfull to His promises, He will uphold you when you fall.