Many wonderful songs have been written about God's grace, but this marvelous song by Haldor Lillenas is one of my favorites! The Lillenas Publishing Company was started by the author of this hymn. "He was born in Norway in 1885, and immigrated to the United States as a child. From his youth, he had a musical bent. He took musical studies by correspondence, and soon began writing gospel songs. In 1919, he published his first book, and three years later he organized his own publishing house in Indianapolis, Indiana. For the next decade, he preached, traveled, wrote hymns, and published songbooks!
In 1930, the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, became interested in expanding its fledgling efforts in the field of music. They agreed to purchase Lillenas Publishing Company provided that Bro. Lillenas himself would move to Kansas City and manage it. He remained in that role until he retired in 1950, then served in an advisory capacity until his death in Aspen, Colorado in 1959. Today, Lillenas Publishing Company is one of the largest church music publishers owning more than 20,000 song copyrights. "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" is the best known of the 4,000 hymns Bro. Lillenas, himself, wrote. He later gave this account of how it came to be composed --
"In 1917, Mrs. Lillenas and I built our first little home in the town of Olivet, Illinois. Upon its completion, we had scarcely any money left to furnish the little home. Having no piano at the time, and needing an instrument of some kind, I managed to find at one of the neighbor's home, a little wheezy organ which I purchased for $5.00. With the aid of this instrument, a number of my songs were written, which are now popular, including "Wonderful Grace of Jesus." It was sung by the great chorus, in 1918, at the Northfield, Massachusetts Bible Conference, being introduced for the first time. Not yet having started his own publishing house, he sold his soon-to-be-famous hymn for $5.00 -- just enough to pay for the organ on which it was composed!"
"Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin! How shall my tongue describe it? Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching to all the lost! By it I have been pardoned, saved to the uttermost. Chains have been torn asunder, giving me liberty; For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus, reaching the most defiled, By its transforming power making him God's dear child, Purchasing peace and heaven, for all eternity; And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus, Deeper than the mighty, rolling sea! Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain, All sufficient grace for even me!
Broader than the scope of my transgressions, Greater far than all my sin and shame! Oh, magnify the precious name of Jesus! Praise His name!"
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