Amazing Grace

A friend of mine posted on her blog today about hymns and it reminded me again of how much I love the words to hymns. There is such fullness and teaching in them. I love all kinds of hymns, not just the old ones, but some of the new ones as well.

I had actually been thinking about it this week as I have been preparing to teach today on the idol of religion: how we can be religious to the point of neglecting our relationship with Christ, how we focus on our external works rather than the internal change, etc. It's been a great reminder to stop and return to the very grace of God that both saves and sustains us. Jerry Bridges states that we should preach the gospel to ourselves every day to be reminded of the great grace of Jesus Christ our Savior. As I have thought about it, the words to the song Amazing Grace keep rolling over and over in my head....the grace that saved me, the grace that will lead me home and the grace that we will forever proclaim.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come,
Twas grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will bring me home

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endured

When we’ve been there 10K years, bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing God’s grace, than when we first begun