Every now and then we come across something so amazing that we have no words to express our feelings. Like the birth of your first child or the death of your mother. How can you really express the feelings you have? Such is the grace if God. Grace is God's love for the undeserving. I can't understand it, let alone express it in words. It leaves me asking, "why would God show grace to me?"
We all see grace in one way or another, yet do not give God the glory of His grace. If you can think of nothing else, you must thank God each day He lets your heart beat. You have no control over your heart. It will stop when God says it is time for you to go. Each day the sun shines, it is but by God's grace. If He is God, He then has the power to turn off the sun at His will. We are graced by rain systems as they water our flowers, and thereby giving us grace to see the flowers. Beyond these general forms of grace found by each of us, we should also be aware of the times God's grace is only laid on us and us alone.
A new movie just opened last week entitled "Amazing Grace." The story is about William Wilberforce's life and his fight against slavery. Christianity Today writes,
Director Michael Apted openly admits that he had political motivations in telling this story. Nevertheless, in the end, Apted's endeavor managed to fuse both the political and spiritual aspects of Wilberforce's life quite well.
William Wilberforce was not the writer of the song "Amazing Grace," John Newton was. Even if you are not a believer in the Christian faith, chances are you know of this song. Now what you may not know is in the last 10-15 years, even though many have loved this song, it has come under attack. This assault as strange as it may sound comes mainly from church groups. It seems that some Christians do not like the word "wretch" used in the song. In fact many songbooks have replaced, the word "wretch" with the generic "someone" in order not offend.
Like this quote I came across on the net.
As Christians who sing "Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like ME," we've got to be careful. Judging of others, when it's needed, must be done humbly and gracefully.
Frankly this quote makes me want to gag. It is obvious some speak before they think, or act in such a way that proves they have no idea what they are talking about. Grace is amazing and the song tells the story of this very point.
The author of the song was just as he claims. He was a wicked despicable wretch of a man, with no compassion for other humans. John Newton was an English slave trader and feared by all for his ruthless dealings in the business and the handlings of his victims.
At sea by the age of eleven, he was forced to enlist on a British man-of-war seven years later. He became a hardened man at sea, and found it hard to submit to his officers. Recaptured after desertion, the disgraced sailor was exchanged to the crew of a slave ship bound for Africa.
Ships would voyage from England to the African coast. Tribal chiefs would deliver to the Europeans stockades of men and women, captured in raids and wars against other tribes. Buyers would select the finest specimens as if they were a leg of lamb, and trade for weapons, ammunition, metal, liquor, trinkets, and cloth. Then the captives would be loaded aboard the ship and chained below decks to prevent suicides. They lay side by side to save space, row after row, one after another, until the vessel was laden with as many as 600 units of human cargo.
John Newton transported more than a few shiploads of the 6 million African slaves brought to the Americas in the 18th century.
Once a ship nearly foundered in a storm, and Newton cried out in fear to a God he did not even believe in to save his life. Moved by the moment, Newton began to read the Bible and other religious literature and, by the time they reached Britain, he had given his heart to Christ changing his way of life. The date was May 10, 1748, an anniversary he observed for the rest of his life.
From that point on, John Newton avoided profanity, gambling, and drinking, spending the last 43 years of his life a changed man. He began to study Greek and Hebrew on his own to enhance his personal study of God's Word. Newton then preached the good news that changes lives of men and woman in the cities of Olney and London. He also fought along with William Wilberforce to ban the slave trade in his nation and around the world.
How can a man change so dramatically in such a short time? It is easy to envision God saving and changing the life of an un-churched, fairly good girl, who in a weak moment stole some lipstick from Wal-Mart. It's easy to see this girl start to go to church and read her Bible. It easy to think that such a change in a person can happen and why this girl would never steal again, for that girl was really not that bad. God can surely do that, right?
But what about people like Jeffrey Dahmer, a depraved and psychopathic serial killer and cannibal? Dahmer preyed on his victims, abusing them, killing them and using their bodies in unspeakable ways and proceeded to dismember them, keeping some parts to eat and others as trophies. Could God save Dahmer and change his life?
How about Ted Bundy who confessed to 28 killings? Often he sexually assaulted his victims with such instruments as crowbars. How can God save a person like Ted?
The answer is grace. Grace is amazing and powerful. And this was the point of Newton. Could grace have changed Dahmer? Could grace have changed Bundy? Can it triumph over the brutality of the Ku Klux Klan? Can it take desire for drugs away from an addict? Yes it can in all cases. That is what is so amazing about Gods grace. It can change the life of a simple person, or the life of a despicable human being.
At age 82, Newton said, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour." This statement comes even after over 40 years as a changed man. Newton saw his wicked heart and knew that the change did not come from within him, but by the grace of God. But for not that grace he would have lived his whole life as the evil person he once was.
Newton's tombstone reads,
"John Newton, Clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy."
This once wretched man, now saved by the grace of God, wrote these words..
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
Oh how precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Shall I be wafted to the skies
On flowery beds of ease
While others strive to win the prize
And sail on bloody seas
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
I want you to notice this profound line found in the song as we look deeper into grace.
"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear".
Did you get what Newton is claiming here? He is saying it was God's grace that brought the storm into his life, in order to make him think of God and lead him to faith in God. This is the amazing moment laid on John Newton by God. The evil man not caring about God and in no way looking for God is called to serve God. Not that Newton was a good person, but only in the pleasure of God's powerful grace did He call on John for salvation of his soul. Goodness in us has nothing to do with the grace that God gives. Grace comes from God in these special times as He sees fit to send it.
Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
"Taught my heart to fear" Newton wrote. The Bible tells us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Newton found this to be true.
What is so amazing about God's grace? It saves undeserving people.
What is so amazing about God's grace? It comes even to those not seeking God.
What is so amazing about God's grace? It changed a slave trader into a servant of God.