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.
T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear The hour I first believed.
— John Newton
I have to say that Amazing Grace is probably one of my most favorite hymns. Behind these simple, yet powerful lyrics is an incredibly inspiring story. The author, John Newton, was an eighteenth century British slave trader who had a dramatic faith experience during a storm at sea. Because of this, he later gave his life to God, left the slave trade, and became a pastor. He penned “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” in remembrance of that momentous, life changing moment.
Although this is not a Christmas hymn, I believe the lyrics epitomize what Christmas and the birth of Christ is all about– GRACE. We get so caught up in the carols, the jingle bells, the wrappings, and the stocking stuffings, that we forget the true reason for the season… God’s grace and his singular desire to bring his lost sheep home.
As the pastor and author, Rick Warren, once said, “When we are lost, we lose five things: direction in life, God’s protection, our potential, our happiness, and our home.”
But the good news is, even when we are spiritually lost, we don’t ever lose our value to God. Regardless of how far we stray or how deep we travel down the rabbit hole, God continues to see our value and continually desires a life of joy and peace for us.
If you are feeling lost right now, know this: God does everything to find you. Like the parables of the shepherd searching for his lost sheep in Luke 15:1-7, the woman searching for her lost coin in Luke 15:8-10, or the father running out to greet his lost son in Luke 15:11-31, God views you as priceless and celebrates your return.
God’s grace is amazing and it’s absolutely boundless. As stated in John 3:16: “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.”
You may be lost now, but God will always find you.
