Amazing Grace

The hymn that we sing in church, Amazing Grace, contains the line, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,  that saved a wretch like me."

The word, wretch, is really an old one.  It's meaning as found online in Webster's is: 1. :a miserable person : one who is profoundly unhappy or in great misfortune. 2. : a base, despicable, or vile person.  In yet another listing, it states that a wretch is so miserable that one almost has to feel sorry for him/her.  Who among us has not been at some point in time a wretch?

The second definition is certainly the more extreme, but when we succumb to envy or anger or revenge, wouldn't that also be a wretch?

Being a wretch is a pathetic state in life, and it begs for resolution and healing, both of which are found in our all knowing and all powerful God.

Grace which is a gift from God saves us. 

The hymn starts out with a wretch who has been saved, and it progresses to heaven:  "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 first begun." 

The other day I was heading to the mall with a neighbor for an early morning walk.  All of the sudden she points to the sky and says, "Look, an angel."  Good thing we were still in the allotment where the driving is easy because I did as she said -- looked.  And it was the head of an angel in the clouds, with the sun all about her, and her hair all about her.  Oh, how beautiful!  It was a such a lovely gift.

May all of you be given a gift too.