Amazing Grace

       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.  It took many years for me to realize that no matter how hard I tried, I could not remain free from sin.  In fact, it took me a long enough to realize just how bad a sinner I was since some sins are quite visible, but inward ones don’t show so much yet still leave feelings of shame and condemnation.  When I realized that, I understood what a wretch I truly was.  Here it is defined:

1.An unfortunate or unhappy person.

2.A despicable or contemptible person.

       Those words are an accurate portrayal of me before salvation.  In fact, I was so unhappy that I had tried to exit this world by my own hand- and oh, what joy I would have missed.  Not that my journey with Christ has been easy, in fact there were trials I thought I would never survive, but here I stand, with my Lord, content in His presence.  That is amazing and that is grace- He freely offers us abundant life when we deserve the death sentence for sin.

       Instead, the Lord gives us free unmerited love and favor of God who is the source of all the benefits men receive.  And “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” (Rom. 5:8) “but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Rom. 5:20)  God’s grace is not because of anything we have done, (Rom. 11:6) but because of Jesus Christ and His work at the cross. (Rom. 5:15)  Even though I still sin, His grace is ever present in my life.  Even though I still feel wretched in some ways as I can never seem to remain free from sin, God’s unmerited love and favor remind me to go to Him for forgiveness.

       Thank You, Lord, for Your grace in our lives; it is truly amazing, as You are exceedingly amazing for providing that grace to us.