Amazing Grace ~ A Song to Lead Us Home

I'm taking a short break from posting about our trip to the family farm to do a Spiritual Sunday post. A thank you to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting this for us!

Today I'm focusing on a song we all know, Amazing Grace:

"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.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;'
Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."

A beautiful song indeed, but did you know the history behind it? Click here to read what Wikipedia has about the song and the author, John Newton. I've also found a wonderful website here which I'd love to grab a section from and repeat it for Spiritual Sunday:

People from all walks of life have expressed their feelings about "Amazing Grace." Some of these statements follow:

"It gets to the heart of man."

"It allows you to reach down into yourself."

"It is a song of reconciliation...and of hope."

"It helps you to see a better day."

"It makes a difference in your life."

"While you are singing it, you are free!"

"It's more than a song."

"It is the pearl of spiritual songs."

"Amazing Grace" has undergone many changes over the 200+ years of its existence. Both the melody and the verses have evolved through time, altered to fit the changing needs of people all over the world. New verses have been written, sometimes straight "out of others' lives," which makes it a song that is truly "alive." It is more popular today than it has ever been.

In 1996 the Music Educators National Conference compiled a list of songs that they believe all Americans should be able to sing in order to preserve an important part of the national culture. One of those songs was "Amazing Grace."

No other hymn in the world has been recorded more often than "Amazing Grace."



This song is so popular because it is undeniable ... we can all relate to it. None of us are perfect. We all know what it is like to feel like a wretch. But until we understand and KNOW God's grace we can't fully sing this song with the emotion it is written about...like in John Newton's case. We may not all have experienced a near death experience on a sailing sihp, but haven't we experienced life's storms? And once we realize we have been forgiven and accepted God's grace, this song takes on a new level. A level that is simply, Amazing.

To read more Spiritual Sunday posts, click here.