Love Has Won
Sean Carter & Ryan Flanigan
Lyrics
Where, O grave, is your vict'ry?
Where, O death, is your sting?
Christ is risen in glory
Christ is living in me
Love, love has won
Christ has overcome
my heart and I can't fight it
I can't hide it
Where, O sin, is your power?
Where, O law, is your curse?
Christ completely devours
Christ fulfills ev'ry word
Love, love has won
Christ has overcome
my heart and I can't fight it
I can't hide it
Love, love has done
something deep inside
my heart and I can't fight it
I can't hide it
Nothing can ravage my soul
when I give up control
Love never fails
Nothing too high or too low
nothing else in this world
Love never fails
Song Story
I began writing this song several months ago. This rarely ever happens anymore, but I found a few hours to sit down and play my guitar. In the midst of worshiping God, this melody came out of my heart. No words came with it, though, not even a lyrical concept. So I recorded the melody in "la da das" and sent it to Sean to see if any words came to his mind. He immediately heard 1 Cor. 15:55, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" He also heard a victorious song of Christ's love that comes down from above us, defeating hell and the grave. I agreed and began working out the words.
One day, while I was raking leaves in the backyard, the idea came into my mind to make this a song about deep, personal resurrection, about the inner struggle between flesh and spirit. But as children of God, who have been purchased by Him, even though we constantly put up a fight, love wins. Christ has completely devoured sin and death within each of His own, not only in the external cosmos. Think about it, the extent to which Christ's love reaches throughout the whole universe, love travels that same infinite distance into each of our hearts, defeating sin and death in us once and for all. Not only is Christ's resurrection a cosmic event, it is a deeply personal one. Let's remember that this Easter season.
6 comments
Comment by Carrie on March 9, 2010 at 1:33 PM
Great song! TCC is doing a great job keeping all your songs going so maybe we can get this one too!!
Comment by Aaron McMahon on March 10, 2010 at 10:01 PM
Ryfly, as always, I love the song. I do wish you could have more of these moments where you sit down and write. You find a way to capture the essence of the idea in song form.
XAPITI,
Aaron
Comment by Alicia Guarracino on March 10, 2010 at 10:14 PM
Lovely song and story.
Comment by GrangerBaxters on March 11, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Dang, wish I would have opened this e-mail sooner....why aren't we doing this one on Easter??? :) Rita B
Comment by Ryan on March 11, 2010 at 4:02 PM
Well, Rita, it's because we're sticking with more familiar songs and songs that are choir friendly.
Comment by Unknown on March 12, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Love it bro! Would say it is one of your best!
Thanks for joining us and sharing your thoughts.