Amazing Grace

This has become a sweet song and maybe we sing it without giving it much thought. But stop and think, Amazing Grace. Why those words? Because I've been forgiven and set free. And not because of anything I've done, in fact, it's more I've been saved in spite of what I've done. Listen to the words of the chorus. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. Wow! Even wretches like me can be saved in this place!

I grew up thinking that if someone sinned, severe punishment was deserved. The person needed to be taught a lesson. They really needed to learn how bad they truly were. To be made to feel the depth of what they had done. And there is a time and place for punishment, not sure how the world would be without laws and justice. But this isn't how the gospel works.

Read about the Prodigal Son. This son rejected his father and all he was to him. The son went and lived a life of selfish luxury. Finally all his money is spent. He has nothing and he becomes hungry. This is the real reason he decides maybe it's time to head home, his stomach is empty. And the son doesn't expect to be fully restored, he really does expect to be just a servant. Yet what does the Father do? Punish him so he learns his lesson as the older brother would like, as so many of us would like? No the father throws a feast, a banquet, and lavishes his son. He places the son right back into the position of who he is, the son. Not a servant or a slave or even a friend, he's right back to being the son.

I don't know about you, but man, that's Amazing Grace! That's undeserved, lavish, abundant mercy. A while ago I read the book Eve by William Paul Young and Young talks of how all the Father wants of us is to re-turn to Him. The reason Young uses re-turn is because when we sin we've begun to veer off on our path. Picture the Father at the head of our path and we start to shift, sometimes just a few degrees, others times a lot. This shift, it changes our ending point,we'll no longer end up where the Father is waiting. But all we need to do is to re-turn our body in order to face Him once more. And the Father, He is much like that Prodigal Father  and He isn't looking to shame us, He's looking for us to re-turn, turn back to facing Him, and when we do that, there He stands with open arms ready to embrace us and put us back into our position as sons and daughters of the King.

There will be those that ask, What about sin? Aren't you being light on it?

Absolutely not. Sin is really is its' own punishment. It bears consequences that sometimes last a lifetime. Those aren't magically erased. But I believe the worst part is that Si separates us from the Father. And who of us can bear that separation? It's why we are always looking for ways to get back that relationship, but it's not in what we do besides turning to Him. Jesus has done the work for us, He's paid the price. All I need to do is turn back into my loving Father's arms.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found.
Was blind, but now I see.