Strive to Be - Eternal Lyrics
Lyrics
Verse 1: Jenn B
If everything around me, everything around me fades
I won't disappear, no, I could never drift away
There's a reason I am here
And I will last a million years
That's the way He made me
Nothing's gonna take my place
Chorus: Jenn B
I am eternal
I am a child, I am a child of light
My heart is burning
I am on fire, I'm glowing bright, bright, bright
There's a feeling in my soul, I know
I am eternal
I am eternal
I am eternal
Verse 2: Jenn B & Oba Bonner
There is something inside me
Glowing like lightning, and it's almost blinding
You can always find me
Even through the darkness, I will keep shining, oh
'Cause I'm brighter than gold (Yeah)
Hey, 'cause He made me that way
He made me that way (Yeah)
Chorus: Jenn B & Oba Bonner
I am eternal (Eternal)
I am a child, I am a child of light
My heart is burning
I am on fire, I'm glowing bright, bright, bright
There's a feeling in my soul, I know
I am eternal
I am eternal
Oh, yes, I am eternal
(I)
Bridge: Oba Bonner with Jenn B
I could never lay low, glowing like a halo
I'm a let the world know I am eternal
It's all because the One who made me (He made me)
Called me by my name, and it changed me (Yeah)
Like fire in the freezing cold (Uh)
He's the one that put the breath of life into my soul, yeah
Multiply by the reciprocal (Reciprocal)
And by my calculations, I will live forever, it's a miracle (Oh)
Chorus: Jenn B & Oba Bonner
I am eternal (I am eternal)
I am a child, I am a child of light
My heart is burning (My heart is burning)
I am on fire, I'm glowing bright, bright, bright
There's a feeling in my soul, I know
I am eternal (Yeah, woah)
I am eternal
Video
"Eternal" | Official Track Video | feat. Jenn B and Oba Bonner | Youth Christian Music | #strivetobe
Meaning & Inspiration
"Eternal," released on January 5, 2024, as part of the album *Disciple of Christ*, is a profound declaration of spiritual identity and unwavering confidence rooted in faith. The song immediately establishes a powerful message of permanence, asserting that even in the face of inevitable earthly dissolution, the core self remains unshaken. This sentiment echoes the Psalmist's declaration in Psalm 23:4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." The lyrics convey a deep-seated knowledge of inherent worth and purpose, as if divinely inscribed, a truth that cannot be erased or replaced. The assertion, "There's a reason I am here / And I will last a million years," speaks to a divine plan and an unending existence, a concept central to Christian theology, particularly the promise of eternal life through Christ, as stated in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
The chorus explodes with an unshakeable assertion of identity: "I am eternal. I am a child, I am a child of light." This is not merely a hopeful aspiration but a present reality declared with conviction. The imagery of a burning heart and glowing brightness paints a vivid picture of an inner spiritual vitality, fueled by a divine presence. This "light" signifies spiritual illumination and divine favor, reminiscent of Jesus' words in Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." The feeling in the soul that confirms this eternal nature is the indwelling Holy Spirit, the seal of our adoption as children of God, as described in Ephesians 1:13-14: "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."
The second verse, featuring Oba Bonner, deepens this understanding, describing an internal luminescence, "glowing like lightning, and it's almost blinding." This powerful metaphor illustrates a spiritual force that can be perceived even through the darkest circumstances. The assurance, "Even through the darkness, I will keep shining," directly aligns with the biblical promise that believers are lights in the world, even when surrounded by darkness, as seen in Philippians 2:15: "...that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." The repeated affirmation, "He made me that way," emphasizes that this intrinsic brilliance is not self-generated but a gift from the Creator, a reflection of His own glory, mirroring the words of 2 Corinthians 4:6: "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ."
The bridge, a compelling dialogue between Oba Bonner and Jenn B, elevates the theme by attributing this eternal state directly to the divine act of calling and transformation. The imagery of "glowing like a halo" and being "fire in the freezing cold" powerfully conveys protection and enduring warmth, a direct result of God's active presence. Oba Bonner's insightful line, "He's the one that put the breath of life into my soul, yeah," is a profound reference to Genesis 2:7, where God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." This divine infusion is the source of our spiritual life and, consequently, our eternal potential. The sophisticated yet accessible analogy, "Multiply by the reciprocal... by my calculations, I will live forever, it's a miracle," ingeniously expresses an unassailable certainty of perpetual existence, a mathematical certainty grounded in faith. This reinforces the biblical understanding that through God's intervention, what seems impossible becomes a miraculous reality, a promise of unending life secured by divine power. "Eternal" thus serves as a robust anthem of faith, reminding listeners of their divinely ordained identity, their inextinguishable inner light, and the unwavering promise of forever life, all rooted in the transformative power of their relationship with God.