To be with you

Author: Mike Burn
Album: Family Worship 3

An up-tempo worship song, which children and adults will equally enjoy.

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Story Behind the Song

This is a song that I had buzzing around in my head for weeks before I did anything with it, or rather I had the hook line "To be with you" buzzing around. The rest of the song evolved round that line. Sometimes, we sing songs that express that we long to be close to Jesus, but live our lives in such a way that one might doubt the integrity of what we're singing - I know that's often true in my own life. I wanted to try to relate the simple actions in the song (jumping, running, dancing) with an attitude that says to Jesus: "Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it".

It can be an emotive issue in all-age worship, sometimes, as to whether or not we encourage our congregations to "do the actions" to songs that have them. I would tend never to push anyone to join in, as I'm particularly aware that some adults can feel patronised and pressured by that, and also it's a sure way to alienate teenagers very quickly! However, I do like using action songs, or songs that can have choreographed dances to them, because it can add a physical dimension to the unity that we should be expressing in worship, ie. singing with one heart and voice...and body. Songs like this one, therefore, that have implied actions, but can be equally sung without necessarily having to do them, can be ideal in all-age worship, because those who want to can jump and dance, and those who don't can still sing the words with integrity, because of the wider applicability of the meaning of the lyrics.

Lyrics

I love to be with you, Jesus
Listening to your voice
And when I hear you speak my name
My heart and soul rejoice

And if you said "Jump"
I'd jump for joy
And if you said "Run"
I'd run to your side
And if you said "Leap"
I'd take a leap of faith
And if you said "Dance"
I'd dance for sheer delight

To be with you, to be with you
To be with you
Oh it's the best thing
To be with you, to be with you
To be with you
It's the best thing in my life

Mike Burn
Copyright © 1996 Daybreak Music