Stories & Songs | Steven Curtis Chapman - Magnificent Obsession

It's hard (for me, at least) to think of contemporary Christian music without also thinking of Steven Curtis Chapman. This godly man has been writing, recording, and performing music for over two decades - music that has influenced and inspired so many. His honest, heart-searching lyrics and the earnestness in his voice point to his deep faith in God and in the truth of His Word.

I had heard SCC's music for a while before his daughter, Maria, passed away nearly 5 years ago, but seeing his family walk through tragedy gave me such a different perspective on him. This is not just a man who sings about holding on to Jesus through trial - he has been through one of the deepest trials a person could ever face and holds on to Jesus even tighter because of it.

One of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs will always be Magnificent Obsession, from 2001's Declaration. The lyrics speak of how easy it is for us as believers to get distracted with worry and the things of this world - yet how desperately we need Jesus to be our "one consuming passion". I find myself so often praying the words to the second verse... "cut through these chains that tie me down // to so many lesser things // let all my dreams fall to the ground // until this one remains....You are everything I want // You are everything I need..."

Here is the audio from the original 2001 recording:



SCC recently re-recorded several older songs of his, as well as some new ones, in 2011's re:creation. He writes of the new recording:  
"I found that since Maria went to heaven, many of the songs that I have written over the years continue to grow in meaning. The heart behind doing this was asking, how can I take some of those songs that have a new depth to me and reinterpret those, recreate those? Thus the title re:creation.”

One of those songs was Magnificent Obsession. He took the original, with its thundering (magnificent, really :)) guitars and drums and stripped it down to a quiet, yet even more earnest version. Now when you hear him sing, "I have cried and prayed // and still I seem to stay // in the middle of life's complications", you know that those tears and prayers have been offered up in a way he never imagined when he recorded the original...

(I couldn't find a YouTube video with the re:creation recording, but you can listen to it here.)

Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life’s complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind
But now it’s brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I’ve never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You’ve shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

You are everything I want
And You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

For the Love of Music and the Glory of God,

Rebekah