Amazing Grace

I grew up in the church hearing “Amazing Grace.” Yet, it seemed we lived under a cloud of never being quite good enough. We sang “amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me” but then heard about all the things we had to do and certainly should not do to avoid being “a wretch.” Don’t go there, don’t do that, don’t say that, don’t think that, don’t drink that, don’t wear that, don’t look like that. We were always hoping, but never sure that we were good enough, holy enough. I now know the answer to that question. I will never be good enough or holy enough, but I am loved enough by a loving God to be saved from my sinful self and live in fellowship with Jesus becoming more like Him daily until one day when He comes back for us we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is.

The novelist, A. J. Cronin, tells a story from his own experience as a doctor that illustrates the wonder of the gift of grace. The Adams family at the close of the Second World War decided to open their home to a little refugee boy with the difficult name of Paul Piotrostanalzi. The Adams had two daughters and a son named Sammy. Sammy and Paul became inseparable friends, but little Paul was a difficult child, and often disobeyed Mr. and Mrs. Adams.

One day, Paul went swimming in some contaminated water. He became very ill with a high fever, and the doctor suggested he sleep in an attic bedroom to protect others from catching his sickness. But little Sammy missed his friend Paul so much that one night he crept up the attic stairs and into bed with Paul. Paul’s hot, feverish breath fell on Sammy all night. In the morning, Sammy, never a strong child, became deathly ill. Paul recovered his health, but Sammy died within three days. It was a terrible tragedy for the Adams family.

A year later Dr. Cronin decided to pay a call on the Adams family. But as he pulled into their driveway, he was amazed and then angry as he saw Paul, the refugee boy, working in the garden with Mr. Adams. He got out of his car and angrily approached Mr. Adams. "What’s this Paul Pio........ “ he stumbled over his name and then said, “whatever his name is, doing here after what he did to your family?"

Mr. Adams looked at the doctor and then said quietly, "Dr. Cronin, you won’t have any more trouble with Paul’s name. You see, he’s Paul Adams now. We’’ve adopted him."

That is a wonderful story of costly grace.

Someone said, “Our worst days are never so bad that we are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And our best days are never so good that we are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

It really is Amazing Grace!

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus for the amazing grace of God that You made available to me through Your sacrificial death on the cross. Help me live holy not to earn Your grace, but to honor Your grace. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger