I haven't felt much music in me lately. Many times I have looked at my piano, but could not manage to play anything. Through the years, I have often found a lot of comfort in playing the hymns and gospel songs of which I have an enormous store filed away in my heart and mind. But not in recent months and weeks. The burdens that weigh and just stay there can bend your spine, literally and figuratively. The "encircling gloom" of the times we are in adds a back drop that adds to the heaviness.
This morning, I woke up to another gray, dismal Wisconsin morning. I turned my piano light on and decided to play some things. The first thing that came to mind was an old gospel song that I knew from a long time ago from my time in Baptist churches. Here are the words:
Sometimes the day seems long, Our trials hard to bear. We´re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair. But Christ will soon appear to catch his bride away! All tears forever over in God’s eternal day!
CHORUS: It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase. So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.
Life’s day will soon be o’re, all storms forever past; We’ll cross the great divide to Glory, safe at last! We’ll share the joys of heaven: a harp, a home, a crown; The tempter will be banished, We’ll lay our burdens down.
The next song I thought of was one I heard at a funeral as a child and then again in church. It was called, "He Giveth More Grace." This morning I thought, So often these songs have interesting stories of origin. I wonder what this song story is. Well, I found it and read it to the end. I wanted to share it with you, because somewhere out there is someone like me who needs to read it. Here are the words that I sang today. To my astonishment, I had remembered ALL the words. Having these songs deep in my mind has been a huge help to me through the years. The words come back, because they are already there.
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength when the labours increase; To added afflictions He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
Fear not that your need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father, both you and your load will upbear.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
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