John Mark McMillan – Heart Runs

Contemporary Christian artist John Mark McMillan began his career in 2002.  Since then, he released 12 albums and 2 EP’s, including:

• Hope Anthology, Volume 1 (2002)
• Morningstar Harvest Worship Series: Awake, Volume One (2002)
• The Song Inside The Sounds of Breaking Down (2005)
• The Medicine (2010)
• Economy (2011)
• Borderland (2014)
• The Borderland Sessions (2014)
• You Are the Avalanche (EP, 2015)
• Live at the Knight (2015)
• Mercury & Lightning (2017)
• The Mercury Sessions (2018)
• The Lightning Sessions (2018)
• Smile In the Mystery (EP, 2018)
• Peopled with Dreams (2020)

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1. What message does the song communicate?

This song draws on several details in the Bible to make points.  These include:

• The panting deer, that McMillan’s heart thirsts for “You”.
• Jonah and the whale, that McMillan wants to uncover the depths of “You”.
• Adam comes from dirt, that McMillan is born again spiritually.
• “You” is knocking at the door of McMillan’s heart, willing for McMillan to respond.  Chorus confirms McMillan’s “yes” response.

Of these, only the second one has an issue.  Jonah didn’t exit the whale to become more immersed in God.  He was sent to Nineveh to preach.

Although “You” is not explicitly named in this song, the aforementioned Bible references point us towards concluding that “You” is God.

Score: 9/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

Almost the entire song is Biblical, except for taking Jonah out of context.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Like deer to the pool
I’m coming after You
Like a thirsty animal
My heart is for Your love

Rewords Psalm 42:1.

[Verse 2]

Like Jonah from the deep
I’m coming out of my sleep
To find the secrets that You keep
Is the only thing worth rising for

While plumbing the depths of God is the only thing worth waking for (Philippians 3:8-10), Jonah didn’t come out to find secrets.  He was vomited out of the whale to tell Nineveh to repent (Jonah 1:2 and Jonah 3:2).

[Pre-Chorus]

From the dirt You’ve drawn me out
And You draw me out again
I’m coming back from the dead
I’m coming out of my skin

Parallels coming out of dust (Genesis 2:7 and Genesis 3:19) to spiritual awakening (John 3:3, Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Chorus]

And You are everything my heart wants
Everything my heart wants

This is so, because McMillan’s desires were changed by God (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 2:29, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and 2 Corinthians 7:10).

And my heart runs
My heart runs after You

See line 2.

[Verse 3]

Like breakers on the shore
You’re knocking on my door
Like the deepest places in You
Calling to the fountains of my soul

Combines Revelation 3:20 with the concept of waves, though not within the same context as Psalm 42:7.  These waves pound on McMillan’s heart, with God wooing McMillan to become immersed in Him (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 11:15-16, and 1 Corinthians 12:13).

[Outro]

(So) My heart runs
(So) My heart runs
(So) My heart runs
My heart runs after You

Essentially repeats Chorus, lines 3 and 4.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Those outside the camp of Christ will immediately recognize Jonah, concluding that the song is Christian.  They might be familiar with God knocking on the door of one’s heart, but it matters not.  This, alongside McMillan’s deer, are comprehensible without knowing its original source: McMillan responds to God’s offer to immerse himself in Him.

Though technically incorrect, misusing Jonah doesn’t affect their interpretation.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies God that McMillan responds to God’s call to dive deep in Him, it does not glorify Him when McMillan quotes Scripture out of context.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

John Mark McMillan’s Heart Runs is decent.  God asks us to dive head-first into Him.  When we receive Him, we become spiritually awakened, desiring to thirst and hunger for more of Him.  These glorify God.  Though McMillan quotes from Jonah out of context, this will not deter believers and unbelievers from receiving this message.

If a worship leader can somehow address/repair Verse 2, then I can recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Heart Runs (listen to the song)

Artist: John Mark McMillan

Album: Borderland

Genre: Pop

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 6:47

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*Copyright © 2014 Meaux Jeaux Music (SESAC) Raucous Ruckus Publishing (SESAC) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.