Easter: The Story Behind “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”

Hi, friends. Here is the final installment of the “Story Behind” series this Easter. The theme was blood, and so far we examined “Power in the Blood” and “Nothing But the Blood,” two older hymns. This song is more recent. [The featured images in this series followed Jesus’ last moves. The first one depicted the last supper, the second one depicted Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and this one depicts Judas’ kiss that identified Jesus to authorities in the garden.]

Andraé Crouch

Crouch, who lived 1942-2015 in California, was a gospel singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He was known as “the father of modern gospel music.” [Recall that Rev. Dorsey, author of “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” was “the father of black gospel music.”] He conducted choirs for secular songs and gospel songs. Fun fact: he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work with The Lion King. A choir he established in 1960 recorded “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” in 1969. According to Crouch himself, he wrote the song at age 14; he felt shy at a friend’s backyard barbecue, so he went inside and sat down at the piano, praying to God– “if you would give me a song, I will live for you forever.” Other gospel songs he wrote include “Through It All,” “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory),” and “Soon and Very Soon.”

“The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” Devotional

This segment is repeated four times: “The blood that gives me strength/ from day to day/ it will never lose its power.” Faith in God and openness to the Holy Spirit give us an ironic kind of strength–the strength to show mercy, the strength to be humble, and the strength to love our neighbors. The Spirit can also “soothe [our] doubts” and “calm [our] fears.” Yet God is also strong in a traditional sense. His scope “reaches to the highest mountain” and “flows to the lowest valley.” God’s covenant with humanity through Jesus’ sacrifice “will never lose its power.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16, NRSV)

Lyrics:

The blood that Jesus shed for me
Way back on Calvary
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power
It soothes my doubts and calms my fear
And it dries all my tears
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power

It reaches to the highest mountains
It flows to the lowest valley
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power

It reaches to the highest mountain
It flows to the lowest valley
The blood that gives me strength
From day to day
It will never lose its power

This recording is fantastic. Love it when the background vocals kick in, too.

[Including this bonus video because he’s just amazing and his testimony made me smile.]

 

Thanks for following this Easter’s “Story Behind” series. Happy Easter to everyone! Don’t forget that there is “power in the blood,” and “the blood will never lose its power.” “Nothing but the blood” can give us salvation. God bless you!