MARILYN BAKER explains the thinking and theology behind her chorus "O Lord You Are So Mighty"

Marilyn Baker

Most of my songs have come out of my own experiences and this little chorus was certainly no exception. On this particular day we were doing an evening concert in the North of England. From the start things began to go wrong. We got lost on the way because although we always ask for a printed map, this one was hand drawn and not very legible. We arrived late only to find things in a state of confusion.

Someone else was using the hall where we were to sing and so we weren't able to set up the equipment for another half hour. We always specify how long we need to set up and so it seemed to me that the organiser just had not read our information. Soon he came and introduced himself. To my shock he suddenly announced that we were doing another concert for them the following morning which we didn't know about. This would mean that we would have two concerts in different places in one day.

Tea was next. We had asked if we could have a proper meal as we would only be having a snack on the way, but we just got sandwiches. By this time I was thoroughly cheesed off.

Afterwards we had to rush to get changed. When two of my team began to argue over something trivial, it was the last straw. I lost my temper and shouted loudly that I was sick to death of concerts and bad organisation and that I was definitely going to give up travelling and go back to teaching.

As I began to calm down I realised that I only had a few minutes before the concert began. I felt dreadful. I was so upset that I'd lost my temper when I was meant to be going in there as God's representative to sing and talk to an audience of Christians about His love.

"Lord Jesus," I prayed, "Please, please forgive me, Lord. I don't know how I can take this concert feeling as I do, when I've just been so angry. Please change my heart Lord, I feel such a hypocrite."

After I prayed I felt a tremendous assurance in my heart that He had forgiven me and was going to help me in the concert. I felt so amazed and grateful and it was as I drank in His forgiveness in those few seconds that the words of this little chorus came to me. They welled up in my heart like a song of thanksgiving, describing exactly how I felt. I actually taught them to the audience that night and told them how the Lord had forgiven me after losing my temper. I encouraged them to receive the joy of God's forgiveness for themselves. There was a real atmosphere of worship as people began to enter into all that this meant for them.

I have now developed this chorus "O Lord You Are So Mighty" into a full-length song for my new album 'Face To Face' which has recently been released by Word Records.

O LORD YOU ARE SO MIGHTY
Words and music by Marilyn Baker

O Lord, you are so mighty,
So gracious and forgiving,
And to us, so undeserving,
You shower us daily with your love.
©1992 Word Music