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:
'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead 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 endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease:
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
the sun forbear to shine;
but God, who called me here below,
will be forever mine.

~ “Amazing Grace” by John Newton (UMH #378)

So many of you know the lyrics to this famous song that turned 250 on New Year’s Day. “Amazing Grace” first appeared in a church service as John Newton preached on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 which shows David questioning why he was chosen by God. As a former sailor and slave trader turned Anglican priest and advocate for ending slavery, Newton asked the same question. In the sermon, Newton walks through their understanding of salvation which boiled down is- “we sin and don’t deserve God’s love yet God gives it to us anyway. So we are called to act out of love, gratitude, and obedience, trusting with confidence and patience that God will win over all things.”

We know this happens through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus and yet this hymn, in its original form or with its adapted version of verse 6 (“When we've been there ten thousand years, / bright shining as the sun / we've no less days to sing God's praise / than when we'd first begun”), Jesus is not mentioned at all. The whole piece only alludes to God’s might acts of salvation as accomplished through Jesus. Perhaps this is why the song is so well known both inside and outside of the church because it speaks to the basic human knowledge that this world is not perfect and that it is going to take something larger than ourselves to change it.

But it also speaks to the closeness of our relationship with God. Think about it: it was God’s grace that taught my (being the singer) heart to fear; it was God’s grace that relieved all my fears; it was God’s grace that brought me safe to this point; it was God’s grace that will lead me to eternal life.

Despite me being a wretched human being!

As we talked about in worship on Sunday, it is not too late to give thanks to God for all that God has done! This 250 year old song, written by an ex-slave trader, tells us that it is never to late to get a fresh start and be transformed. Let us proclaim that God has set us free from sin and death, with confidence that this transformation that only God can bring, will fill us with joy and peace.

Blessings friends,
Pastor Nicole