When you hear the story, a part of you may say that the
resulting song must’ve been just dumb luck. Or, was it planned providentially?
You can hear from his own mouth how Chris Tomlin feels about the song “All to
Us” that he and three friends wrote in 2010.
After a couple of episodes coalesced and worked on Tomlin, he must have
passed along what had been happening in his own mind and heart to his friends,
who were picked up by the same wave, to shape a collaboration that Tomlin
describes as a contemporary hymn for today’s church.
It began with some incidental experiences in Chris Tomlin’s
life in the Atlanta area in 2010, which ultimately touched him and three
associates, perhaps something like a fresh breeze with a new scent. Tomlin had
been engaged in ministry with Louie Giglio at the Passion City Church in the
Atlanta area, and that’s where it started. Do you think Giglio imagined that
placing a card with some printed words on it in his co-worker’s hands might
spark a new song? Tomlin’s own testimony about the occasion tells us he was
indeed struck by Giglio’s words ‘Waiting on God ascribes to God the glory of
being all to us’. Just wait on Him, honor and glorify Him by being patient and
trusting. That kinda sums up what Chris’ fellow minister was saying. This
message was reinforced in a second episode, when Tomlin visited some friends’
church, and heard by chance a guest speaker talk about many points the prophet
Isaiah makes. Among them was a proclamation that Tomlin admits he’d heard many
times, but which struck him like never before: Isaiah 28:16, what our God
reminds believers about His provision for us. In short, it’s the first line of
the song that Tomlin and three friends eventually crafted. It means recognizing Him as a unique kind of
rock, very certain and worth waiting on. He’s so firm, that He can be
everything to us that we need. It’s prophecy direct from Him, through an
ancient messenger, and transmitted anew via a song by some of our
contemporaries.
Chris Tomlin told Matt Maher, and Jesse Reeves, and Matt
Redman of his thoughts, which must have ignited some more sparks and spurred
the completion of the song that we have today. It’s important to see that there was more than
just one fellow contributing here, and more than just one significant event in
how “All to Us” came about. That’s how He works. He can use anyone, or many
ones to create and allow us to participate in His genius. You can tell from
Tomlin’s description of it all that he felt privileged to just be a cog in the
wheel of this machine. He wasn’t the main guy. But, he saw who really was the All
in this. Tomlin hints that seeing Him in this way was what made the words flow
so easily. If that sounds like a recipe for more new songs, you think Tomlin
and his partners might try this again? Hey, it’s a formula any of us could try!
See this link for full story of the song’s development and
performance by the principal composer: http://worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1824693
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