Amazing Grace LBW Hymn 779

“Amazing Grace” is the story of the faith journey of one man who traveled through many “tumults, toils and snares” toward accepting God’s grace. John Newton wrote the autobiographical poem in 1772. After his mother died, he was raised by family friends. On several occasions he came close to death. He became involved in the slave trade as crew on the vessels. One night a strong storm arose. His life was spared by the change of shift on the watch post. His replacement perished in the storm. It was this event that made him realize the power of God’s grace. Years later as captain of a ship he encouraged prayer by the sailors.  Newton was ordained in 1764. His poem was set to music in the 1800’s.

Can you find “Amazing Grace” in your own faith journey?

When have you felt lost, blind, fearful?   In those times where did you find God’s grace?

Read 2 Corinthians 9:8  “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” 

What storms have arisen in your life?

Read Joshua 1:9 “Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Read Isaiah 40:31 “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and nor be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Where do you see God’s promise of grace in your daily life?

Read Ephesians 2:8

” For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves…”  

Grace is unmerited, undeserved and unearned.  Grace is love and acceptance.  Grace changes lives by the work of the Holy Spirit alive in us every day. Grace is a powerful force that gives us strength and courage, lifts us up and carries us through uncertainty.  Grace empowers us to walk with Christ, to share His Good News. 

What gifts has God given to you that you can share to be a moment of grace in someone else’s life?

Is the Holy Spirit calling you to a new role?

How can the community of faith support you as you grow in faith?  

Read Galatians 5:23-25

Love puts others ahead of oneself. Love is one of the many Fruits of the Spirit. Love is about our attitude towards those around us. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul took painstaking efforts to describe the kind of love we should have for others. ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-13) ” Love is patient and kind…love does not insist on its own way…love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ”

In times of uncertainty or changes in our lives or our community, we lean on God’s unchanging love and patiently wait as the Holy Spirit works through each of us in the Spirit of Love. By the Power of Grace and the Spirit of Love we can weather the changes that happen in our life.

Where do you see the Holy Spirit leading you in your faith journey?

What does having a spirit of love mean to you? or for your life?

How can you bring the spirit of love to someone in need today?

Read Ephesians 3: 1-12

In this passage Paul uses the term “prisoner of Christ”.  This could be interpreted as captured by God’s grace if you recall how he started out as Saul a persecutor of those following “The Way”. (Acts 9:1-10)

What does it mean for the church today to be caught by God’s grace? God gave to Paul, and to us in the gift of the Gospel Good News that we are justified by grace through faith. (Romans 5:1) As a people of faith we are called to share God’s grace with those around us, by our words and our actions.

Where do you see God’s grace in your daily life?

Do you know someone who needs to hear about God’s grace? How could you bring grace into that person’s life for an hour, a minute or a day?