The song "Be Unto Your Name" was co-written in December, 1996 with Gary Sadler at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. I remember starting the lyric at the Sadler's kitchen table, probably over lunch or during a break from writing other songs. I spoke out, "We are a moment, You are forever". I really don't remember the line of conversation that prompted me, but that's how the song began. We took that beginning and started to write. Gary has a better memory of the day, thankfully, and this is what he had to say:

"Lynn was staying up at my house with my family and me for a few days of writing in December, 1996. We talked about a lot of possible subjects to write about, things that had been on our hearts' some for years, some for months or weeks. We started talking about how fragile and temporal - just a vapor, a moment - life is; how our lives pass so quickly and yet God's life goes on forever. Juxtaposed against the vastness and eternity of God, all we could say in the chorus is what anyone would say when faced with that reality: "'Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!' We both instantly loved the song, I think mainly because we knew we had tapped into something that had been laying deep within our hearts, and also because it seemed to echo a heart expression of every believer - awe, humility, and reverence in the light of One so great."

The lyrics didn't come easily at first, but Gary and I paused and asked the Lord to help us. There soon followed a moment, as the song finally came together, that we just seemed to touch a portal of heaven as we worshiped and sang:

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty 
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain 
Highest praises, honor and glory 
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name

We recorded a demo of the song that day, and Gary later sent a copy to our publisher, Integrity Music. Mission accomplished, right? Not quite. I have learned to pay attention to impressions the Lord gives me about particular songs. "Be Unto Your Name" became one of those songs for me. I carried it in my spirit, often praying that God would release it in His time. The first time I heard the song as recorded on the Hosanna! Music project, REVIVAL IN BELFAST, I spontaneously burst into tears of joy. What an answer to prayer!

© Lynn DeShazo Ministries