AMAZEMENT

I Was Just Thinking About – AMAZEMENT.

Several books are available that have the title, Amazed By Grace. The review of one of them speaks of Amazed By Grace as being: “A divine enabling power that allows us to overcome weaknesses, accomplish things beyond our capacity, and become more Christlike than we ever could with our greatest personal effort.” Another one is reviewed and a comment made about the author that, “He writes from his heart. It is amazing that he has not only been able to forgive the racial injustices he has suffered, but he is also able to help others to forgive and trust in God’s goodness.” This idea of Amazed By Grace is also shared in music. No one will soon forget the words so clearly and reflectively written by John Newton, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me...”

One Hymn that conveys a general thought about being Amazed By Grace is, My Savior’s Love. The words resonate and convey the special relationship and blessing one has in Jesus Christ.

I stand amazed in the presence 

of Jesus the Nazarene;

And wonder how He could love me,

A sinner, condemned, unclean.

How marvelous! How wonderful!

And my song shall ever be…

We should never forget the truth expressed by Paul in Second Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” (Yes, so be it) is spoken to the glory of God.” One of the many promises is Isaiah 65:24, “Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” These words coordinate well with those spoken by Jesus Christ in The Sermon on the Mount.  Matthew 6:31-33 states the words of Jesus: “Do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? …Your Heavenly Father knows that you need them…Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Jesus continued this truth in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

In your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, are these promises you embrace, believe and practice? Are you able to say and mean, Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto me? Two personal truths that have come together for my wife and me is that God knows what our needs are - and - before we even call upon Him, He is answering, and before we are able to frame our requests, He has already heard. This causes us to continually be amazed by His marvelous grace. 

Last week, we received a statement from one of the several care givers I have seen since last November. The bill was dated December 2017. While it wasn’t an amount as horrendous as it might’ve been, my response to my wife was: “This Doctor was so good and kind at a time when I was so much in need. But – how will we pay the amount?" The Lord indicated He would provide and He did. A Pastor who had surgery was unable to return to the Pulpit as he had hoped and I was asked to supply in his and the church’s behalf. I was delighted to be able to say: I will try my best and do what I can. That was followed by an invitation to lead the worship service with a very dear group of God’s people. Both churches were gracious in giving an honorarium for our ministry effort. The total amount received was sufficient to cover the statement amount from last December. Were we amazed by His grace and faithfulness? Emphatically, Yes! Had the Lord answered before we called upon Him in prayer? Again, emphatically, Yes!  

Be amazed by His grace and faithfulness and never forget the words of Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.