He Gives and Gives and Gives

Do you like to hear the story behind a song?  I do.  Especially if it’s a song that has words I feel I could have written. 

This song is one I remember hearing for the first time during college – sung by Danniebelle Hall.  If you remember her?  Well, you are old.  She was Andre Crouch’s sister and had one of those voices that makes you want to sing along in your loudest gospel voice, even though you are white and don’t have a gospel voice.  (I tried but couldn’t find her singing it on Y*uTube but I did find her singing ‘Through It All’ in case you’re curious!) 

This song was written by a young woman whose parents died before she turned six and who was later adopted by a childless couple. Annie dreamed of becoming a concert pianist but as a teenager, she began to suffer from crippling arthritis, the disease that eventually left her unable to even open her hands. She wrote these words – and later put them to music – out of her own discovery of God’s unlimited ability to give her everything she needed. 

I can imagine all kinds of situations these words apply to – physical pain and suffering, loneliness, broken marriages, financial stress, relational hurts, repeated defeat and discouragement.  Though it's full of old English ‘giveths’ and sendeths’, these words are SO full of life and hope!  And they're straight out of God’s word.

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE
by Annie J Flint  

He giveth more grace as the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as the labors 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 thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy 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.                    


I rewrote the words (with no disrespect to the author or her beautiful phrasing) into a prayer and it’s one I love to say out loud, especially when I’m at the end of my own wisdom, strength and ability…


Lord, You give me more grace as my burdens grow greater.
You send me more strength as my needs increase.
To my added afflictions You add Your mercy.
To my multiplied trials You add multiplied peace.

No fear that my need will exceed Your provision
Your resources are endless and You love to share!
I’ll lean all my weight on Your strength given to me
Both myself and my burdens I know You will bear.

When I have exhausted my store of endurance
When my strength has failed before the day is half done
When I reach the end of all my resources
I know Your full giving has only begun.

Your love has no limit. Your grace has no measure.
Your power has no boundary known to men.
For out of Your infinite riches in Jesus
You give and You give and You give again!
.