God Of Grace And God Of Glory

This hymn is a type of prayer. The lyrics and melody have us reaching up to the Lord so that we may draw to ourselves His strength and goodness. Please give it a sing-along listen, then come back and we’ll talk about how to get such prayers answered.

The first key to getting prayers answered

The first key to receiving things in this life is to learn what is available. If you want something that is not available, you are not going to get it. You can pray, beg, work, smile, complain or hold your breath until you turn blue — but if the thing is not available you are not going to get it.

To receive anything in this life, it must be available. It is almost impossible to live around autos and internet and not know of too many things available that can vacuum up our time, attention and money. That learning is almost unavoidable.

But when it comes to getting prayers answered, we still need to know what is available. How can we learn what God has made available?

God’s instructions carry promises

One way to learn what God makes available is to learn what He has instructed. God’s requests and instructions to us — commandments, if you prefer — always carry a promise of “available”.

When He says, “I want all to be saved” then it must be available to all.
The instruction is “get saved”. The promise is “I can be saved”.

When He says “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” then it must be available.
The instruction carries the promises that we can know what is good and evil and
we can hate evil and cling to what is good.

When He says “Lead every thought captive to Christ” then it must be true that there are no thoughts so powerful, evil or disgusting that they cannot be brought into line by bringing them to Christ.
The instruction is to control our thinking. The promise is we can control our thinking.

The Lord’s requests to us include the promise that the request can be done and the doing of it will deliver His intended benefit.

Give this idea a whirl — read these three chapters — Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3. Watch for the instruction and notice the promise. You’ll be wonderfully blessed by the instructions and promises in those three chapters AND you’ll get practice seeing God’s “good and acceptable and perfect will” as you continue reading. Neat!

Notice how this search for what God says is available takes the focus off of “I, me, my, mine — how I feel, what I want, what I lack” and puts the focus on learning and acting on God’s instructions and receiving His promises. We might picture ourselves as gardeners acting on and receiving the promise of increase by preparing the soil, planting, tending and harvesting in due season.

Prayers of affirmation

Our song illustrates another kind of prayer, which is to affirm — to agree — with something God has already declared. We can affirm in different ways, including in a private prayer conversation with the Lord, and as we are doing here by singing together.

Why affirm something God has said? One reason is to get our thinking lined up with God’s thinking, which helps us get our actions lined up with His will, which results in receiving the benefits built into obeying His instructions.

“♫♪ God of grace and God of glory, on Your people pour Your power ♫♪”.
We read in Acts 2 that God already poured out His power on His people. So are we telling Him to do something He’s already done?

“♫♪ Grant us wisdom, grant us courage ♫♪”.
We read in 1 Corinthians, “But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” and we read in 1 Timothy, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Are we praying that God would give us wisdom and courage when He’s says He’s given us wisdom and all the rest of the benefits those verses list?

To ask for something God has already given seems ignorant or unthankful. But there is another answer. Here the song has us affirming that we value what God has given to be received, enjoyed and employed by us and that our sphere of influence in His service would grow. If anything, it is a prayer that WE would get moving more on His instructions — that we would get better at living for the Lord as He instructs us. By so doing, we will see the benefits attached to living and moving to advance God’s will on Earth as it is done in Heaven.

“♫♪ Let the gift of Your salvation be our glory evermore ♫♪”
This gift we receive with thanksgiving, this gift we affirm with our brothers and sisters in Christ and this Giver and the availability of His gift we declare to a thirsty world.

Amen?

God bless you lots,
— Dale R.


Download this song sheet free from “The Music Box”

LYRICS: God of Grace and God of Glory
Text: Harry Emerson Fosdick (1930)
Tune: John Hughes (1907)

1 God of grace and God of glory,
On Your people pour Your pow’r;
Crown Your ancient Church’s story,
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.

2 Lo, the hosts of evil round us
Scorn our Savior and his ways.
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.

3 Cure Your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to Your control;
Shame our wanton selfishness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal.

4 Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the gift of Your salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Serving You whom we adore,
Serving You whom we adore.

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6 Replies to “God Of Grace And God Of Glory”

  1. Sal Arico

    Thanks brother Dale, another great song that is timeless and therefore speaks to our day and time. What powerful words and heart’s desires to affirm all of what God has done and promised His children! And so true that the Gracious God and our Father has blessed us with All spiritual blessings In Christ, we lack nothing and the bank is always full and never busted. But what great encouragement the body of Christ gives each other to carry on, stay focused on God’s love and faithfulness and our Lord’s return… Songs like these are so powerful to sing and rejoice in!! Thanks again brother!

    Reply
    1. Dale Reichel Post author

      Sal, thank for sharing your thoughts. Excellent! God bless you lots — Dale R.

      Reply
  2. Julia M Witchard

    Good early morning Mr Dale.. yes it is time to make that stand for, OUR FATHER JESUS,, BECAUSE HE GAVE US ALL “LIFE “, and yes I do surrender my all to “HIM”… HE IS OUR EVERYTHING, …what an amazing song and sermon, once again.. your sermon and song is like accepting amazing grace. like u said mr dale, it’s not about us it’s about OUR HEAVENLY FATHER… u are planting seeds, and they will come to full blossom, if u continue to do OUR FATHER JESUS WILL, …u are sowing those seeds, when u teach and sang to THE LORD . what a blessing HE HAS BESTOWED UPON U.. u have touched on so many amazing topics about, letting us know, it’s not about us.. HE PAID THE PRICE FOR US. .. ” WHEN HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS AND DIED…so mr dale never stop teaching and singing, because, that’s your “PURPOSE DRIVING LIFE,”.. so live it to the fullest…and at the end… OUR HEAVENLY FATHER JESUS WILL SAY, …”WELL DONE MY FAITHFUL son….. WELL DONE. . It’s all or nothing mr dale, I do surrender my all to OUR HEAVENLY FATHER JESUS… “OUR FATHER JESUS IS THE GOD OF GRACE AND GLORY……
    Be blessed 🙌 🙏, mr dale , u and Cathy, be very blessed 🙌,…and always remember.. OUR FATHER HOLY SPIRIT IS DOING AMAZING THINGS IN the both of u lives……………. tell Cathy I said happy mothers day, love 💘 u both

    Reply
    1. Dale Reichel Post author

      Hi Julia, Thanks for your note and kind encouragement! Life is indeed so much better when we surrender to what God wants, and get after doing our parts. He supplies, He blesses and He lets us do some of the delivery of all that goodness to people around us. What a privilege! Keep looking up! God bless you lots – Dale R.

      Reply
  3. Béla K. Berty

    God bless you, Dale! Thank you for your dedication to ministering music. There might be a transposing of two words in the beginning of the quotation: “This we gift receive with thanksgiving, this gift we affirm with our brothers and sisters in Christ. . .”

    Reply
    1. Dale Reichel Post author

      Hi Bela. Thanks for pointing out the typo … indeed wrong, now better. Thanks for your kind words and for reading so thoroughly! God bless you lots … Dale R.

      Reply

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