Rev. James Cleveland - Heart And Soul Lyrics
Lyrics
I love Jesus
With all my heart and soul
My heart and soul
My heart and soul
Do do do, Do do do, Do do do do
Because He first loved me
He died on Calvary
For me, for me, for me
I sure do love the Lord
Love found a way
When I was sinking low
I had no place to go
His Love
Love, Love, Love
Reached down and rescued me
Ending
I really love the Lord
I really love the Lord
I sure do love the Lord
Video
Heart And Soul
Meaning & Inspiration
"Heart and Soul," a powerful declaration of faith from Reverend James Cleveland's 1989 album, *Live in St. Louis, MO*, is more than just a song; it’s a deeply resonant testimony to the transformative power of God’s love. The core of this piece lies in its unadorned, yet profound, expression of complete devotion. Cleveland articulates a love for Jesus that permeates his very being, echoing the Great Commandment found in Matthew 22:37, where Jesus Himself states, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This isn't a superficial affection, but a love that originates from an understanding of God's initiative, as the lyrics readily acknowledge: "Because He first loved me." This foundational truth, that God’s love is the wellspring of our own, is a central theme throughout Scripture, particularly evident in 1 John 4:19, "We love because he first loved us."
The lyrical narrative then pivots to the redemptive work of Christ, specifically referencing His sacrifice on Calvary. The simple yet potent phrase "He died on Calvary / For me, for me, for me" speaks volumes about the personal nature of salvation. This act of selfless love isn't just a historical event; it’s presented as a direct intervention for the individual, mirroring the Apostle Paul's declaration in Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." This sacrifice is the very foundation upon which the singer's unwavering love is built.
Furthermore, the song beautifully illustrates the concept of God’s grace reaching into the depths of despair. The verse, "Love found a way / When I was sinking low / I had no place to go," paints a vivid picture of a soul in distress, adrift and without hope. This imagery resonates with the psalmist's cry in Psalm 40:2: "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." The lyric “His Love / Love, Love, Love / Reached down and rescued me” encapsulates the active, tangible nature of divine intervention, a love that is not passive but actively pursues and saves. This is a powerful reminder of the boundless nature of God’s mercy, as expressed in Ephesians 2:4-5: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." The repeated affirmation of "I really love the Lord" in the song’s conclusion is a triumphant echo of this profound gratitude and newfound security, a commitment born from the undeniable experience of being loved and rescued.