BEHIND THE SONG

LORD, DO IT AGAIN
“Revival is God’s work in the lives of His people that transforms them into what He has called them to be. It is the returning to spiritual vitality of someone who has become stale, dormant and dry.”

The year was 1988 and the event was the National Conference on Prayer and Spiritual Awakening held at Southern Baptist’s Glorieta Conference Center in New Mexico. It was an unusual experience for me in that Patricia was not able to be with me due to her needing to be with a close friend who was going through serious back surgery in Fort Worth, TX. Filling in for her at the keyboard was our pastor friend, and multi-talented, Bill Elliff.

I was awakened in the middle of the second night, singing, Lord, do it again, Lord, do it again. Pour out Your Spirit upon us, Lord, do it again. I reached for the writing pad that, back in those days, I always kept at the bedside just for times like this. I wrote the words down, then immediately after breakfast I met with Bill, who fortunately could play by ear, and before the morning service we were ready to teach the chorus to the congregation. The next day the Lord gave me the words to the stanzas and by the end of the week I was able to sing the verses with the congregation joining in on each refrain.

Lord, how we long to see you work in power,
We need revival in our land today.
You have encouraged us with every shower,
But Lord, it’s for a mighty rain we pray.

Refrain
Lord, do it again. Lord, do it again.
Pour out your spirit upon us, Lord, do it again.
Lord, do it again, Lord, do it again.
Send us a mighty revival, Lord, do it again.

You’ve let us hear the rusting in the bushes.
We’ve seen a cloud the size of a man’s hand.
We’ve read what you have done down through the ages,
O Lord, we need revival in our land.

O God, O God, our nation needs the Savior,
It needs to see a church alive and well.
So many, Lord, are bound by Satan’s strongholds
And we’ve been called to storm the gates of hell.

Lord, not for praise of man, but for your glory.
Lord, not that we might boast, but for your name,
Forgive us, cleanse us, fill us with your Spirit,
O Lord, revive your people once again.