Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico near the banks of the Rio Grande. He started learning piano at eight years of age. Through his father's work with the United States Department of State, he also spent time in Ecuador and Barbados. It is from his heritage and classical training at The University of New Mexico where Ortega derives his sound, embracing country, classical, Celtic, Latin American, world, modern folk, and rustic hymnody. Fernando Ortega currently leads worship at Christ the King Anglican Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
His album Storm reached No. 197 on the Billboard 200 in 2002, and Christmas Songs reached No. 36 on the Billboard Christmas Album Chart in 2009.
Here Is Love
Fernando Ortega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heav'n's eternal days
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast a gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And Heav'n's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love
Fernando Ortega's "Here Is Love" is a beautiful hymn that celebrates God's endless love towards humanity through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The opening line, 'Here is love, vast as the ocean,' sets the mood for the entire song, comparing God's love to an endless body of water that stretches beyond our comprehension. The second line, 'Lovingkindness as the flood', talks about how God's love and kindness pour out of Him without any limits, much like how a flood overflows a riverbank. The third line, 'When the Prince of Life, our Ransom, Shed for us His precious blood', is a direct reference to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the ultimate sacrifice made for humanity.
As the song progresses, Ortega paints a picture of the beauty of God's love and mercy. The fourth line, 'Who His love will not remember?', is a rhetorical question that echoes the magnitude of God's love, imploring each of us to keep it ingrained in our hearts. The fifth line, 'Who can cease to sing His praise?', reminds us that God alone deserves our worship and praises; a God who unreservedly loves and cares for us, despite our imperfections. The penultimate line, 'And Heav'n's peace and perfect justice, Kissed a guilty world in love', describes the reconciliation of humanity to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By His sacrifice, God has wiped away our guilt and bestowed upon us peace, love, and perfect justice.
Line by Line Meaning
Here is love, vast as the ocean
God's love is infinite and immense like the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
His love flows like a flood with compassionate kindness
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Jesus, the Prince of Life, paid the price for our sins as our Savior
Shed for us His precious blood
Jesus shed His blood as a sacrificial act of love for our redemption
Who His love will not remember?
Who can forget His perfect love?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
Who can stop praising His greatness and love?
He can never be forgotten
His love is everlasting and unforgettable
Throughout Heav'n's eternal days
His love will endure forever in heaven
On the mount of crucifixion
At the place of Jesus' death on the cross
Fountains opened deep and wide
Streams of grace and love poured out abundantly
Through the floodgates of God's mercy
His mercy flowed freely and generously
Flowed a vast a gracious tide
A boundless and benevolent outpouring of His love
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
His grace and love overflow like powerful rivers
Poured incessant from above
His love and grace never stop flowing down from heaven
And Heav'n's peace and perfect justice
God's peace and justice in heaven
Kissed a guilty world in love
His unfailing love embraced and touched the guilty world
Contributed by Avery D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Janice Bultman Bogott
on Into Your Presence
Is there anywhere I can get the sheet music for piano for this song? I just love it!!