Because He Lives - The Story Behind the Song

Hymn Authors: Gloria Gaither, 1942-

William J. Gathier, 1936-

Hymn Composer: William J. Gaither, 1936-

For the past two decades the music of Gloria and Bill Gaither has greatly enriched evangelical hymnody. Such songs as “He Touched Me,” “Something Beautiful,” “Let's Just Praise the Lord,” “The King Is Coming,” “There's Something About That Name,” and “I Am Loved” are just a few of the nearly four hundred songs that have flowed from the hearts and pens of this talented and godly couple.

But the one number that has especially highlighted the Gaither's ministry is a song that reflects their own philosophy of life “the resurrection principle in the daily routines of life”—“Because He Lives.” Bill Gaither recalls the circumstances that prompted the writing of this song, which was voted by the Gospel Music Association and by ASCAP as the “Gospel Song of the Year for 1974:”

We wrote “Because He Lives” after a period of time when we had had a kind of dry spell and hadn't written any songs for a while... Also at the end of the 1960's when our country was going through some great turmoil with the height of the drug culture and the whole “God Is Dead” theory which was running wild in our country and also at the peak of the Vietnam War, our little son was born,-Benjy- at least Gloria was expecting him. And I can remember at the time we thought, “Brother, this is really a poor time to bring a child into the world.” At times we were even quite discouraged by the whole thing. And then Benjy did come. We had two little girls whom we love very much, but this was our first son, and so that lyric came to us, “How sweet to hold our new-born baby and feel the pride and joy he gives, but better still the calm assurance that this child can face uncertain days because Christ lives.” And it gave us the courage to say “Because Christ lives we can face tomorrow” and keep our heads high and hopefully that could be of meaning o other people. It's rather interesting now that, although we don't consider ourselves as “old” writers, we've had many people tell us they have used that song at a funeral of a loved one; and it has been very encouraging to them, at a time when they were very discouraged. So Evidently a lot of people have shared the same kind of experience of being discouraged.

For the full story click here.

Because He Lives - The Lyrics

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

(Lyric taken from here - you can listen to the midi too)