A saved wretch

John Newton penned the now familiar line - "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!" Newton knew the depths of wretchedness. In his youth, he had gone to sea and over time became a captain, but not of noble ships. He plied the slave trade, carrying human cargo from their African homes to lands far away. Those ships were islands of misery and death with sick and suffering humans chained below decks in unimaginable squalor. Over this ugliness, Newton presided until he met Christ and experienced transforming grace, becoming a minister of the Church of England.

Some churches have taken to changing one word - 'wretch' - to 'soul.' I prefer to hold onto the 'wretch' word because it makes God's grace all that more amazing! What is a 'wretch?' My dictionary defines it as 'a deplorably unhappy person of base or despicable character.' No wonder some hymnals are taking the word out of the song. We moderns don't like to think of ourselves as wretched. We don't sin anymore, we just make mistakes. Wrong! Inside of every person lives a wretched sinful nature, which is inherited from Adam, the first in a line of wretches. Paul knew of the wretched state of humanity first hand, too. He spent years pursuing Christians to bring them, with whatever means necessary back to their senses. He even stood at the murder of Stephen, watching him die as stones thrown by hate-filled men pummeled that young saint's body. Then, he too, met Christ and experienced amazing, transforming grace.

Paul never forgot that his sinful nature was ready to make a re-appearance if given the least chance. He wrote, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24, NKJV) Then, praise pours from his being at the demise of the wretch and the appearance of the glorious man - "The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. " (Romans 7:25, The Message)

I awakened today with a strange mixture of wonder and revulsion in my heart - the dark outlines of the wretchedness at the edges of my life repulse me, but against that dark backdrop, there is glory all around, for am no longer just a wretch, but a saint saved by grace! I rejoice that the God of the ages, through Christ Jesus, would liberate me from wretchedness, not because of anything good thing I've done, but because He is so good and His grace so amazing.

Have you bowed your heard, and humbled your heart, recognizing your wretchedness? There is no need to remain in that unhappy state.
There is a Savior who gives new hearts and fresh starts to those who receive His amazing grace. He accepts wretchs and work a wonderful renewal of heart, soul, and mind!Yes, you and I will, from time to time, slip back into our wretchedness when we take our eyes off of Jesus. The sinful nature waits to assert the wretch in us.
But we need not wallow in the shame of our sins. Instead, we turn back to our God, and like the lost son, find the open arms of the Waiting Father.

Here's a word from the Word-
"We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory,
are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)

Shine brighter as you live in His amazing grace.
_________________________

Something Beautiful

If there ever were dreams
that were lofty and noble,
They were my dreams at the start.
And the hopes for life's best,
Were the hopes that I harbored,
Down deep in my heart.
But my dreams turned to ashes,
My castles all crumbled,
My fortune turned to loss.
So I wrapped it all in the rags of my life,
And laid it at the cross.

Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.

© 1971 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management - CCLI License No. 810055