Amazing Grace (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 779)
1 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.
2 ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!
3 Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
4 The Lord has promised good to me;
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
5 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.
Text: John Newton; Music: W. Walker, Southern Harmony; Public Domain
Devotion
We have been talking a lot this week about forgiveness. From Joseph forgiving his brothers to Jesus telling us that forgiveness is limitless and uncountable, it is wonderful to know that God doesn’t give up on us. When I started seminary, I did not have a good understanding of what justification by grace through faith meant. I had heard it. I knew it was a special emphasis in biblical teaching by the Lutheran church, but I didn’t know how it applied to me. As nerdy as it may sound, I discovered the meaning while in Lutheran Confession class. Reading the Augsburg Confession on justification hit me like a ton of bricks. Article IV paragraph one states “Human beings cannot be justified before God by their own powers, merits or works. But they are justified as a gift on account of Christ through faith…” “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!”
Prayer
God, your grace is truly amazing. Amen.