Yet again, we were directed to a hymn that neither Kaily or I knew, which is not uncommon in the church we attend. We looked at each other and sighed, hoping that we'd pick up on this one quicker than we did the last song we didn't know. However, the lyrics of this song caught my eye. I gasped as I read the first line, "Kaily! This is a good pre-block testing song!" By the time we had made it to the second verse, we were practically giggling out of pure joy because of the pertinence of this song in our lives.
He Giveth More Grace
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
Chorus:
His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,Tomorrow we will take our first integrated block exam. I don't expect that to mean anything to you. Our curriculum comittee has changed the way our class takes exams several times since our arrival at medical school. The first way was the traditional "one test on one day for one class" method. The second was three tests on one day every three weeks for three of our harder subjects, with the tests for our easier classes scattered in between. That took some adjusting (aka lots of failed exams) to figure out how to prepare appropriately.
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 limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!
Annie Johnson Flint
Tomorrow we will take three exams, but the information will be from seven of our nine classes, and the questions will be all jumbled up. The overall attitude of our class towards changing to yet another new testing system is less than positive. We're tired. We feel like our brains are shoving information out to make room for new information. We've adjusted. We've modified. But really, there are only so many new study habits we can pick up in a two year time span. Many of us feel like we're at the end of our rope.
However, as Kaily and I were reminded through the singing of "He Giveth More Grace," when we reach the end of what we've had stored up, our Father's giving has only begun! He DOES give more grace when the burdens grow greater! He HAS given strength as our labors have increased! When we are not as prepared as we wish in this time of "affliction," He has extended His great mercy and has seen us through the changes thus far. Oh, and the peace that He has extended- there is NO way I would have made it this far without it.
There have been many days when I feel that I have no endurance, and many afternoons when my strength is already spent. How good it has been to know that the Lord will keep giving to me!
My need has NEVER exceeded what He could provide. He has made it clear through His Word that He delights in giving to me. How thankful I am that I can find comfort in His everlasting arms, that He is the one who will carry me through this. I am so thankful that I don't have to do this alone.
What an awesome hymn. And awesome timing. I heard a story on the radio today about a couple who lost their three teenage sons in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, and in the interview he dad said that for as dark as some of those days were, it was also somewhat of a mountaintop experience because they were so reliant on God's strength and they knew that He was the only thing getting them through those times. So backwards, but so true. "He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!" I love it!
ReplyDelete