“My chains are gone, I've been set free! My God, my Savior has ransomed me, And like a flood His mercy rains. Unending love, Amazing grace”
This version of Amazing Grace always makes me think of my Uncle Jerry (he would hate it if he saw me calling him that! J). One reason is because we played it at his funeral last summer, but the real reason it makes me think of him is the very reason we chose that version to play. You see, this song describes him to-the-tee. My mom and uncle grew up in a Christian home with ever-faithful Christian parents. Yet somewhere along the way, he lost himself in the cares of the world and was lost for many years, until one day he found himself lying in a hospital bed.
All it took was one moment of true surrender, and he found God’s amazing grace again. All it took was one moment of lucidity in the weeks of his declining life for him to accept the Lord’s gift of salvation. From that moment on, his chains were gone. He was set free. God paid the ransom for his sins, and the Lord’s mercy rained like a flood. “Peace that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7) washed over him and he experienced the presence of the Comforter (John 14:26-27). What an incredible moment it must have been when he was united with his Heavenly Father and his earthly father at the pearly gates.
All it took was one moment. True surrender. Unending love. Amazing Grace.
Have you taken this moment with the Savior? Do you know the power of His grace and mercy?
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
(Romans 3:23-24)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
(Ephesians 2:4-5)
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
(2 Corinthians 4:15)
