Amazing Grace: The Sound That Saved Us
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
We sing it with reverence. We hear it whispered in hospital rooms, shouted in worship, and hummed through tears:
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me…”
But have you ever paused and asked—what is grace? And what makes it so amazing?
Mercy and Grace: Two Sides of God’s Love
To understand grace, we must first untangle it from a close companion: mercy.
Mercy is when God withholds the punishment we rightfully deserve.
It’s the Judge declaring, “You’re guilty—but I’m not going to sentence you.”
Mercy is God saying, “I will not pour out wrath.”Grace, however, goes even further.
Grace is when God gives us blessings we could never earn.
It's the Judge not only sparing your sentence but then adopting you as His child, giving you His name, His home, His inheritance.
Mercy says, “You may go.”
Grace says, “Come—sit at My table.”
And that is why grace is not just good—it’s amazing.
What Makes Grace So Amazing
Grace becomes amazing when it reaches you. When it finds you in the mess and says, “You are still Mine.”
John Newton, the man who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace, knew this firsthand. Once a slave trader hardened by cruelty and sin, Newton cried out to God in the midst of a violent storm at sea. He was a man who deserved judgment—yet he received mercy.
But more than that…he received grace.
He was spared—and then transformed.
From leading slave ships to leading souls to Christ, Newton's life became a living testimony to the power of God’s grace.
Your Story, Too
Grace isn’t just Newton’s story. It’s yours.
Grace doesn’t just apply to people with dramatic pasts—it meets every soul who realizes their deep need for a Savior.
It’s for the person burdened by regret.
The one trying so hard to be “good enough.”
The one who feels unworthy, unseen, or unloved.
Grace is God stepping in and saying, “You don’t have to earn this. I’ve already paid it.”
Sing It. Believe It. Live It.
“I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.”
These aren’t just lyrics—they’re lifelines. They’re the story of every redeemed heart.
So today, don’t just sing Amazing Grace.
Let it wash over you. Let it rewrite your story. Let it change how you see yourself and others.
Because when grace becomes real—it becomes amazing.
Reflection Questions
When have you most clearly experienced God’s grace in your own life?
Do you sometimes confuse mercy with grace? How does understanding the difference change the way you view God?
In what ways have you tried to “earn” God’s love, rather than receive His grace as a gift?
Who in your life needs to hear about grace today—not just in words, but in how you treat them?
What would it look like for you to live more fully out of the reality of amazing grace?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for grace—amazing, undeserved, life-changing grace. I confess that far too often I try to earn what You have already given. Remind me today that I am saved not by my effort but by Your love. Help me to live in the freedom of that truth.
Like John Newton, let my life be a testimony to Your transforming power. Help me to see myself and others through the lens of grace. And may the song of salvation echo in my heart: “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.”
In the name of Jesus—my Redeemer, my Hope, my Amazing Grace—I pray,
Amen.
