My most favourite worship song is an old hymn from 1779 by John Newton. Amazing Grace. The Dictionary of American Hymnology says that this song is Newton’s spiritual autobiography in verse. I love the song simply because it brings the focus back to Jesus. When I hear this song it reminds me of how good and faithful the Lord is to us — how he doesn’t require anything from us except our BELIEF. How he sacrificed for us and gave us his only begotten son Jesus so that we can be free.
Amazing Grace… How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me..
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see…
This song is REST for a weary heart.
It is WATER for a thirsty soul.
It breathes life where there once was death.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
It tells us that GRACE is available for us right away the moment we believe that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. And that grace brings us to a place of worship and gratitude. I love that it says… ‘and grace my fears relieved.‘ What peace we have with Jesus!
There are so many other beautiful worship songs that are being written and sung these days. A song like ‘I Offer My Life’ (lyrics below) is a beautiful song.
All that I am, all that I have
I lay them down before you o Lord
All my regrets, all my acclaim
The joy and the pain I’m making them yours
Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I’ve been through, use it for your glory…….
Beautiful words, right? Very ideal. It’s definitely how we should aim to be with the Lord.
Sounds a bit lofty? Maybe a tad.
Is it something you honestly can sing from the heart and mean it as well no matter where you are in your spiritual life or whatever it is you’re going through?
I can imagine it would be easy to sing this song if everything in your life is going well.
Do you sometimes find yourself feeling like a hypocrite when you’re at church on Sunday and you’re singing a certain song, professing your love for God, but really your heart and mind is somewhere else and you know deep down that you don’t really mean what you’re singing?
I guess my point it that I wish we could sings songs that are more Christ centered instead of self centered. What I mean by Christ centered is when something is focused on Jesus’s love for us (which has no end and never changes) and NOT our love for him (which is unsteady, unreliable). Songs like ‘I offer my life’ are beautiful but maybe we can add more songs on our Sunday worship that reminds us of what Jesus has already done for us which will in turn remind us of how much we are loved.
When we know that we are deeply loved and we are overwhelmed by that love – guess what happens? We will naturally follow Jesus, we will naturally have better relationships with our families, it will be natural for us to be kind and gracious to people around us.
The Bible did say: ‘We love because He first loved us.’ 1 John 4:19.
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