(Photo :Matt Gilman "Awaken Love" )

The beauty we see each day is not an end to itself.  Rather, beauty is a sign post that leads to God.  The curl of a squirrel's tail as he sits there nibbling a nut is a sign post that tells us that there is an awesome Creator.  The soft and gentle squeeze of a child's hand points us to a Father who too wants to hold our hand.   The ingenious way of how the morning dew glistens on a leaf making it look luminous is a way of God reminding us that there's more wonders He has planned awaiting to astound us.  The beauty of this world is an introit into a symphony much greater than our imaginations and thoughts.  Matt Gilman brings us into that greatness with his debut solo record "Awaken Love."  Though there are many worship records out here, what sets "Awaken Love" apart is this:  while many worship songs may attempt to describe God's beauty, these songs here actually bring us into presence of true beauty.  Coming from a rich spiritual heritage where his grandfather and father were both Lutheran ministers, Gilman grew up in a structured, liturgical worship environment.  By the time he was only eight or nine years-old, when kids were still playing with video games, he was already writing worship music.  By the tender age of fourteen he was already leading worship.

As the 2000s dawned, Gilman heard Matt Redman's "Better Is One Day" performed by Passion, and discovered a sound very different from all those Sunday mornings past.  After honing his skills as a worship leader and songwriter at the International House of Prayer of Kansas City,  God has finally graced Gilman the opportunity to release "Awaken Love." "Awaken Love" is helmed by Dove Award winning producer Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe & Steven Curtis Chapman) and it features worship songs co-written or written by Gilman himself.  Most familiar among the set of songs is "Holy," a Gilman song also recorded by Kari Jobe and Jesus Culture.  While many worship songs may describe God's beauty, here Gilman puts himself in the shoes of the Apostle John as the disciple was brought into God's presence in Revelation 3 and 4.   Here we get to immerse ourselves in heavenly worship as John's vision comes alive in stunning ways.  

Again Revelation is the template for the crescendo building "New Jerusalem."  Granted that there are many songs on heaven, they are often caricatured by the medieval view that heaven is a place where harps are being played and white robed believers do nothing but sing.  "New Jerusalem" eradicates such mawkishness by expounding Revelation 21's view of heaven culminating in Jesus coming back to restore his bride.  Lyrically and sonically, song is just epic; you can't help but shake with holy fear and unspeakable joy when the song comes to an end.  This is the type of songs that deserves to be sung across churches.   And Gilman puts his sturdy tenor to work on the anthemic "Fairer."  Worship leaders will do well to listen to how Gilman builds up the intensity of worship as the Savior's beauty is being exalted.

Students of Scripture have been taught that it is not enough to cite the Bible.  Rather, we need to understand God's word within its context.  The same rule of thumb applies to song writing.  Album opener "As the Deer" (not the old Marty Nystrom chorus but a Gilman original) is a prime example of how to use Scripture responsibly in song.  Taken from Psalm 42, the image of the deer panting from the water is just a cutesy picture of our longing for Jesus.  However, within the context of the Psalm, the insatiable appetite of desiring God like a deer pants for the water comes as a result of a pilgrim has worshipped God in Jerusalem.  Gilman understands this: we will never truly desire God until we have first worshipped.  And when he sings about us making the pilgrimage to worship God at the bridge of the song, it is just so gorgeous.   In short, "Awaken Love" is a beautiful record.  Yet, the beauty is not just in the coming together of voices and notes.  Rather, the true beauty of this record is that it brings us into the presence of our Creator in a way that is never compromising or domesticating.