Out of the depths I cry to You
Lord hear my voice of pleading
Bend down Your gracious ear I pray
Your humble servant heeding
If You remember each misdeed
And of each thought and word take heed
Who can remain before You
Only by grace by grace alone
Your pardon is a gift of love
Your grace alone must save us
Our works will not remove our guilt
The strictest life would fail us
Let none in deeds or merits boast
But let us own the Holy Ghost
For He alone can change us
Only by grace by grace alone
Though great our sins
And sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth
His helping love no limit knows
Our utmost need it soundeth
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He
Who will set all His people free
From all their sin and sorrow
Only by grace by grace alone
“By Grace Alone” by Martin Luther, a German priest,
theologian, author, hymnwriter
Hi, my name is Grace. We say grace before meals. God’s Grace is Amazing!
We use the word “Grace” in various ways. Sometimes people say “by the grace of God go I”. This is used when something dreadful happens to someone else and we somehow escaped that same fate, because it could have been us. When that little phrase is said, how many realize that, “YES, by the GRACE of GOD” you were saved from that ordeal.
Another picture of “Grace” is that of the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross between the two real criminals.
On one side you have a criminal who is bitter and angry. Luke 23:39, “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” This criminal is a picture of human degradation and misery, cursing himself into a Christless eternity.
Now on the other side of Jesus, we have the other criminal who was repentant and perceived his own guilt. He knew he deserved to die. Luke 23:40-42, “But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed, justly, for we received the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
This man had no time to join a church, be baptized, or do good good works. He only had time enough to believe in Jesus. The repentant thief shows us all the elements of salvation, and he was saved. Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Did the thief whose soul was saved, look at the other criminal and say “There but for the Grace of God go I”?
If you can envision this whole scenario in your mind, this is “The Picture of Grace”, and it is available to each one of us. 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul’s torment was like a thorn in his flesh and he wanted it removed, but he realized that God’s grace for personal trials is ever and always able to meet our human needs.
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 3:23-24, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”
Don’t wait for that last minute where you have only a split-second to believe in Jesus and be saved. If you are reading this, you must be still alive. It’s not too late to receive the forgiveness you need from Jesus and accept His Grace for a place in eternity with Him. Ephesians 2:4-6, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
If you do not know Jesus and would like to come to Him now, simply pray this little prayer and get started on a relationship with Him…He’s waiting for you. He loves you so.
James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”