I did some research tonight and found this great recording of John Mark McMillan singing his song. I also found a blog that sort of summarized a bit of the back story behind "How He Loves." If you've heard the David Crowder version of this, you'll notice that there are some differences in the two. The biggest difference, however, is the additional verse in McMillan's version. One blog, The Paperthin Hymn, reports:
"In the words of the writer himself, John Mark McMillan, he tells of a story where one of his best friends named Steven was in a prayer meeting, and Steven prayed a prayer which was “Lord, if you would shake the youth of the nation, I would give my life for you today”. And that very night on the way home he died in a car accident. And so John believed that the Lord accepted his offer- and that if God responded to the first part of the prayer by taking his friend, then the Lord will respond to the second part. But several years passed, and he spent that time wondering when the youth movement would happen, and he felt like everyone forgot about his friend . And then several months ago he was playing at a conference and he was urged by another mutual friend to sing this song, which we wrote the day after Steven died. And he believes that in some way this song is a fulfillment of that prophecy. That the impact of this song on the youth was the fullness of a life taken by a loving God all those years ago."
You'll notice in the lyrics (last verse) that McMillan refers to Stephen, the martyr from the Bible (read about him in Acts 6:3-8). It's a beautiful parallel and a testament to what both Steven (McMillan's friend) and Stephen (martyr) did. They served and testified of God's power...glory in afflictions. Anyway--Hope you enjoy this emotional performance of "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan as much as I do...How he Loves
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath
The weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these
Afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize how beautiful you are
And how great your afflictions for me
Oh how he loves us so
Oh how he loves us
How he loves us so
Yea He loves us
Oh how
We are his portion
And he is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes
If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking
So heaven meats earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart burns violently inside of my chest
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
He loves us
Oh how he loves us so
Oh how he loves us
How he loves us so
Yea He loves us
Oh how
I thought about you
The day Stephen died
And you met me between my breaking
I know that I still love you God
Despite the agony
See people they want to tell me you're cruel
But if Stephen could sing
He’d say it's not true
Cause you're good
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