Our worship services are the highlight of my week just about every week! The reasons for this are likely many, and they would range from the enjoyment of watching the people of Elim interact, to the seriousness of knowing we are handling the Word of God together. And among the many “things” of our services that I appreciate, the offertories (the music played as an offering to the Lord as the monetary offerings are being collected), those offering times are right near the top of the list.
We are blessed with many gifted musicians at our church, and many use their musical talents among us weekly as we sing. But when we get to stop for a moment or two and hear a musical gift being given, it is a special time. And it is an extra blessing for me as our regular organist often plays some of the “old” songs that I enjoy.
In fact, it was thinking about that very thing that prompted this little note to you via the newsletter. I was chuckling to myself over how some of the “old songs” were “new” songs at the beginning of my ministry! Many of them are already unfamiliar to many folks, but I remember them (and several others do as well).
One of those songs was fairly popular in churches for a while, and with good reason. It taught a great truth. The song is called “It Took A Miracle,” and it was written by a man named John W. Peterson. Lots of people recorded it and sang it in services, rallies, etc., but the reason I always loved it was the chorus:
It took a miracle to put the stars in place;
It took a miracle to hang the world in space.
But when He saved my soul,
Cleansed and made me whole,
It took a miracle of love and grace!
Those who know me fairly well are probably not too surprised that I love that chorus. It exalts and wonders at the grace of God. The grace that reached down and convicted , called and changed me (and many of you!) for all eternity. How could I not love it?!
God’s grace is the theme of any redeemed life, and I know that it has been the melody line in my own life’s song for a great while. Paul’s teaching regarding grace covers so many of the epistles, but the personal words regarding grace he speaks to Titus resonate in my own heart so often: “when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)
And I know I am not alone! Many of the wonderful people of Elim have given such testimony to the saving, transforming grace of God. People in all cultures, countries and centuries have done the same. And yet, sometimes, we forget exactly what it is God has done. It did, indeed, take a miracle of His love and grace to save sinners like us.
I was reminded of this afresh recently as I read. Allow me to finish these few words to you by including a great quote from a brother in Christ. It isn’t put to music like the song, but I think you will appreciate it nonetheless.
“…the fact that the goodness and lovingkindness of God was that he didn’t do anything to us which we earned, or that we deserved, but that God showed extraordinary mercy toward us, which should make us grateful.
Turns out that God didn’t need us to do anything for him —he wasn’t in any danger. God wasn’t waiting like a withered old regent for the apostle Paul to save him from the Old Testament and the ungrateful and hard-hearted Israel. God saved us with the Gospel, and now that we have it, maybe we should remember that it is the power to save rather than acting like it requires us to save it from all manner of enemies.
…the job is to proclaim the Gospel and live like it is true, not to protect the Gospel as if it was in danger of extinction. You know: God saved us — and we should see that God saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness. We got saved when our plight was hopeless — by the Gospel. By this God according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, we were saved.He doesn’t need saving; he’s not in trouble. We’re the ones in trouble — us, and all men like us. And that would be “all men ever born” for those of you who aren’t clear about that.
He saved us, and he doesn’t need us to return the favor. What he requires is that we behave like people who know what we have, and how we got it, and to treat it like it’s the solution to the problem and not like it has problems that we need to provide solutions for.”
Amen
Posted on October 1st, 2009 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: From the Pastor’s Pen