Gaither Vocal Band - Reaching Lyrics
Lyrics
His love, went on longing
His love, went on reaching
Right past the shackles of my mind
Then the word of the Father
Became Mary's little son
And His love reached all the way to where I was
And so, this great creator who'd been reaching all along
This God who formed the world with his own hands
Made love become a baby, one of our very own
And spoke His word so we could understand
His love went on longing
His love went on reaching
Right past the shackles of my mind
Then the word of the father
Became Mary's little son
And his love reached all the way to where I was
Reaching. Longing
Longing. And Searching
And the longing and the reaching
Became Mary's little son
And his love reached all the way to where I was
Video
Gaither Vocal Band - Reaching
Meaning & Inspiration
Released as part of the Gaither Vocal Band’s 1998 album, *Still the Greatest Story Ever Told*, "Reaching" is a profoundly moving testament to the boundless nature of divine love, a love that actively pursues humanity. The song centers on the powerful concept of God's persistent longing and relentless outreach, a theme deeply woven throughout Scripture. It speaks to a love that transcends our limitations, “right past the shackles of my mind,” suggesting how our own doubts and perceived unworthiness can act as barriers. This divine pursuit, however, finds its ultimate expression in the Incarnation, where "the word of the Father became Mary's little son." This pivotal moment signifies God's decision to meet us exactly where we are, bridging the infinite chasm between Creator and creation.
The core message of "Reaching" resonates powerfully with Old Testament prophecies and New Testament realities. The longing described echoes God's covenantal faithfulness, His enduring desire for relationship with His people, even in their straying. Think of Hosea’s declaration, "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?... My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender" (Hosea 11:8). The song beautifully illustrates this divine initiative, asserting that God, the very architect of the cosmos, "made love become a baby, one of our very own." This humility in the divine, embodied in the infant Jesus, is a cornerstone of Christian faith. It speaks to the radical nature of God’s love, a love that didn't remain at an arm's length but chose to enter into the messiness of human experience. As the Apostle Paul articulated, Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7). The song's emphasis on understanding, the idea that God "spoke His word so we could understand," points to the clarity and accessibility of the Gospel message. Jesus Himself declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6), making the divine will known and comprehensible through His earthly ministry. The repeated refrain, "And his love reached all the way to where I was," is a powerful articulation of God's personal investment in each individual soul. It’s a love that isn't conditional on our perfect behavior or understanding, but one that actively seeks, searches, and ultimately finds us, fulfilling the promise found in Jeremiah 29:13: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." The song ultimately paints a portrait of a God whose very essence is love, a love so profound it takes on human form to reconcile us to Himself.