Thursday, February 18, 2010

Sweet memories and precious hope

The hymn "Amazing Grace" makes me cry. In a good way. :) It's a hymn that's fairly well-known even in secular circles I believe, because popular artists have sung it. I think we might run the risk of not thinking about the words when we sing, simply because we know it so well. But the words are beautiful.

I also have great memories of this hymn from when I was little. I remember Dad singing it to me before bed: me snuggled up to him on his lap and listening to him sing as I started to doze off. Well, occasionally I dozed off anyway...probably 9 times out of 10 I didn't and didn't want to go to bed, but I remember the times when I wasn't wiggling and trying to get out of going to sleep. :)

So between that memory, and the words of the hymn, it brings me to tears. As an adult I find it so true and so comforting. It's the story of every believer. Verse three I love in particular: "Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come" ...but grace has carried me through it all, and will support me through all the even harder things that are sure to come, and will do so until the end.

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 hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Here's a lovely instrumental version of Amazing Grace:

On a much lighter note, raise your hand if the grammatically incorrect "no less days" has ever rather bothered you. ;)

2 comments:

Allie said...

I love that song.

Side note: Less MIGHT be greammatically correct. I'm in advanced grammar in school this semester, and the rule with the less/few is that few must be something you can count. If you can't, it's less. This hymn could be interpreted either way, honestly.

Anonymous said...

The Amish have songbooks without notes in them, well, most of them. And even when there are notes they don't always read music. So they feel free to put whatever tune on whatever lyrics. I adore one certain tune they put on amazing grace, and I'd be glad to sing it to you someday. My voice ain't perfect, but it works.