Chris Tomlin — Love Ran Red: Review

Music Review by Ellenor Lotter

Here we are, at the beginning of another spectacular opportunity to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living!  A new opportunity to see the Kingdom Come and the Will of Our Father done here on planet earth!  Open the eyes of your heart my friend!  Welcome to 2015! 

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Have you ever laid your hands on an album to find that every song speaks to a part of you, reminds you of something you walked through or brings a melody of victory that you can share with someone you love?  How greatful I am to have these songs in my ears as I write the first Gateway News Music Review for 2015.  This week we will look at Chris Tomlin’s 10^th studio release LOVE RAN RED?  Just an ordinary 40-something guy who loves Jesus and loves to share this passion for his God with the whole world. 

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My journey with Chris Tomlin began when I followed a lifelong dream of learning to play the piano.  In the eyes of many around me I might have been ‘too old to start now’ but by the grace of Jesus He inspired Chris to write the very well-known song HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD which became the first song I played in public while singing.  Thank you Chris! 

This album has 12 tracks written by the collaborated efforts of Chris Tomlin, Ben Fielding, Ed Cash, Matt Redman, Matt Armstrong, Jonas Myrin, Ben Glover, Reuben Morgan, Jared Anderson, Wayne Jolley and Jason Ingram.  The reason I chose to write down all these names is to illustrate a very valid point.  These guys model a confidence not only in their gifts as individuals but also in one-another in combining their efforts and coming up with the sound a body would produce.  This is who we are you know, the body of Christ.

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With me writing and you reading, I have the privilege of telling you what my favorites are!  Problem is I find myself sitting with the little cover booklet reading the lyrics and realizing these guys have written the songs of my heart.  You’ll find yourself identifying scriptures written on your heart, weaved into GREATER and cannot help yourself singing along!  The next moment WATERFALL floods over you and reminds me of standing under the same waterfall David stood under when he hid from King Saul during my first visit to Israel.  AT THE CROSS [LOVE RAN RED] will quiet you for a moment as you and I are once more invited to that place of freedom and release and hope. 

Breathtaking would be my best description of THE ROAR!!  Listening to FEAR NOT you will be swept along by the upbeat rhythms and be filled with faith at the same time.  I once heard someone say “do not be afraid” is written 365 times in the Bible, once for every day of the year.  AT THE TABLE brings the laidback feeling of coming home, to His table!  It’s really not difficult to verbalize the emotions every song evokes, but I have to highlight I WILL BOAST as the song that moved me the most…

The love and the blood of Jesus have painted the world red and He is calling each one of us to spread this love to those who have not yet heard.  May we be found faithful as we pursue Him and His purposes in 2015!

Let the worshipper in you arise!