God of Creation
How Faith and Collaboration Shaped a Powerful Worship Song
When you listen to Benjamin William Hastings’ music, it’s hard not to feel the depth and authenticity in his lyrics. Known for his work with Hillsong United, Benjamin has contributed to many worship songs that resonate deeply with believers around the world.
He shares the captivating story behind one of his most impactful songs, initially called “Origin of Light” when he sat down to talk to us.
The song began as a simple idea. Benjamin believed it was a good song, but it was only about 60% complete. Eager to develop it further, he reached out to Joel, a collaborator he had never worked with before. Benjamin sent Joel the concept, noting, “I sent him like 100 billion galaxies kind of thing. I didn’t have solar on it yet.”
Joel responded with enthusiasm and a fresh idea that would transform the song. He suggested changing the last verse to “100 billion failures disappear,” a line that resonated deeply with Benjamin. “I was like, ‘oh wow. Like I see the whole thing now,’” he recalls. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of a creative journey filled with divine inspiration and unexpected occurrences.
Despite Benjamin’s initial doubts about the song’s potential, Joel’s encouragement kept them moving forward. “No one’s going to sing it, but I like it. We should chase this,” Benjamin admitted.
Joel’s response was a confident reassurance: “I think you’d be surprised what people will think.”
“And, the irony is,” Benjamin continues, “once we started singing it, everyone just kind of grabbed it. …we weren’t chasing that at all. We were just chasing [our desire to] write a song that really excites us, and it kind of goes to as much of God as we can possibly fit in the song.”
Sometimes the best creations come from moments of doubt, perseverance, and a touch from your Heavenly Father.
As they continued to refine the song, Benjamin described how it felt like divine intervention guiding their creativity. “The whole song was kind of a bunch of—I want to say coincidences—but it feels like it was God in just these moments of like, ‘oh, wow.’ Like that happened or that happened. And a bunch of times we could have just stopped and the song’s finished, but it kept [going] like there’s something else here. Let’s keep digging. And oftentimes with songwriting, I feel like the more you write, the worse it gets. But that one kept getting better at the more that we really dug in and worked on it, which was a really special treat,” he reflected.
Each step of the process brought new, unexpected elements that enhanced the song’s depth and meaning.
The collaboration resulted in a powerful piece of music and strengthened the bond between Benjamin and Joel. “We became really good friends during the course of writing it, and there were a lot of amazing conversations,” Benjamin shared. These late-night discussions and shared experiences found their way into the song’s lyrics, enriching its essence and impact.
Looking back, Benjamin appreciates the journey and the way the song has touched audiences worldwide. Performing it live has been a testament to its power and resonance. “It’s been really cool to kind of be a part of that and get to see the way people respond.”
In the end, the story of “God of Creation” speaks to how sometimes the best creations come from moments of doubt, perseverance, and a touch from your Heavenly Father.
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