"GRACE--GOD'S TENDER LOVE at Work in Our Lives"

Ps. 116:5, NIRV

     John Greenleaf Whittier wrote the following lines regarding God's healing presence in our lives: "The healing of His seamless dress / Is by our beds of pain; / We touch Him in life's throng and press, / And we are whole again."^[1]  (Note a correlation to Lk. 3:43-48.)

     In our own lives, we call experiences like the one Whittier describes an "experience of Grace."  This is an experience in which our inner (and even, in some cases, outer) lives come unexpectedly to a new sense of order, hope, healing, and wholeness by the surprising Grace of God lovingly at work in our lives.  We sense that God's tender love, restorative-revivifying power, and care have been actively present and have brought us to a new place.

     Thomas Kelly speaks of such experiences:

… the Eternal Love is beating in upon us, upon you and upon me, quickening the seed within us into life.  Our very weakness, as humans, is the fit soil for divine awakening.  If you are proud and self-confident and sure you are no earthen vessel [2 Cor. 4:7], then the greatness of the divine fructifying power will never be awakened in you.  Yield yourselves [to Grace] . . . .[2] 

     In our last post we shared the story of Joy Davidman Lewis, wife of C. S. Lewis.  She had a life changing, renewing experience of Grace—of God’s love at work in her life.  The reader may wish to revisit her story.^[3]
   

     We too have had such experiences in our lives.  However, our experiences—while dramatic for us—are not dramatic enough for good story-telling.  (One such experience has been discussed briefly in a previous post.^[4])  Thus, we will share a story here that is richer in detail.  Actually, it’s a story that is often used when speaking of an experience of Grace.  However there is a significant portion of the story that is seldom included.  We begin with this little known part.

     The story of John Newton, a slave trader in his young life and later the author of the haunting hymn “Amazing Grace,” is the classic story told about an experience of Grace.  Yet an important part of that story (in Newton’s own estimation) is not often told.  Grace had been tapping at Newton’s life for a long time.  As a young man He had a remarkable dream: a dream to which he later gave great weight.  In the dream a mysterious stranger gave Newton the gift of a very precious ring.  (Note: the ring has long been known as a symbol of wholeness; e.g., it is often discussed as such in marriage liturgies.)  Newton gladly received the precious ring in the dream, but then upon further thought he was tempted (for rationalistic reasons) to discard it—thinking he’d been silly to believe such a small thing could be a great gift in his life. 

     Impulsively, Newton threw the ring into the sea.  As soon as he did (already in the dream) he knew he had made a terrible mistake with tragic consequences.   Perhaps symbolically this was something like throwing away the pearl of great price (Mt. 13:45-46).  Newton was greatly upset by his own lack of sensibility. 

     Then once again a mysterious stranger/friend appeared in Newton’s dream (perhaps the same as the original stranger who had first given him the ring; Newton was not completely sure).  This friend now valiantly dived into the sea depths and rescued the ring.  Newton experienced a tremendous sense of gratitude and reached to receive the ring once again.  But the mysterious friend said he must keep (save) it for him: Newton was not yet ready to properly treasure the gift.^[5]  (And this reality would to be born out in Newton’s life.)

     Upon awakening, Newton knew this dream had been a remarkable one.  For several days he could hardly eat or sleep.  But time passed, and he nearly forgot about the dream as he continued his grim business of slave trade. 

     Eventually Newton experienced a crisis during a violent storm at sea.  In his alarm he finally began to face himself, his own “spiritual pride and self-admiration,” and his need for transformation and forgiveness.  He was at last ready to take hold of “unmerited . . . mercy”—the bountiful Grace of God.^[6]  It was after this that he finally looked back at his dream and knew that all along Amazing Grace had been waiting for his readiness.  

     However, Newton was still a slow learner (as we often are as well!).  He continued to work in the African slave trade, although now with a greater sense of sympathy for the suffering of the slaves.  Sometime later, he finally came to himself more fully and saw clearly enough to completely reject the slave trade, as he also sought and accepted the bounty of God’s forgiveness (see 2 Cor. 5:19, Isa. 1:18).  And sometime after that he wrote his gentle, lovely words: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound . . .”  He had also come to know God as “infallible Pilot” and “Guide, an invincible Guard, an Almighty Friend.”^[7]

     Furthermore, Newton learned an entirely new way of treating his fellow human beings.  He wrote:

Love acts by the golden rule, to “do unto others—what you would like them to do unto you.”  Those who are under the influence of Christian love, will be gentle and compassionate, disposed to make the most favorable allowance, and of course their tongues will be restrained from the language of malevolence, harsh censure, and slander—which are as familiar to us as our mother tongue—until we are made partakers of the grace of God.^[8]

     Through Grace, Newton had learned the tender (“gentle and compassionate”) love of God, as lived out in Christ.  A love that is always ready to be at work in our lives--bringing new hope and order to us, forgiving us bountifully, and also teaching us good will and charity toward others.  (Note: if the reader has not seen the film Amazing Grace, we highly recommend it.  Newton is an important character in this fine movie, which covers many of the above concerns.^[9])

     There is another aspect of Grace that Newton surely came to know as well.  It is summed up in the Letter of James: “But He gives us more and more grace . . .” (4:6, AMP, emphasis added).  A wonderful hymn—“He Giveth More Grace” by Annie Johnson Flint—is based upon these words.  It contains promises that we each will need to hang onto at many points in our lives:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth to His mercy,

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. . . .

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Similarly we read: “It’s a good thing for the heart to be strengthened by 
grace . . . "; Heb. 13:9, CEB (emphasis added, also see 2 Cor. 12:9).

     (Note: in this post we focus on the experiential or strengthening 

side of Grace.  Here we sense God’s loving actions in our lives and 

God’s work to bring us to greater wholeness, restoration, and 

strength--and ultimately, to fellowship and peace with our loving 

God.  For thoughts that include theological aspects of Grace, see 

our previous post: “Martin Luther’s Neglected Tenderness.”^[10]  

For thoughts on seeking Grace in our lives, see another post: 

“Good Friday and Easter--In God’s Embrace.”^[11])

* * *

We close with thoughts for meditations, prayer/poetry/proverbs about Grace:

Prayer after a descent:  

I’m hearing the birds in the morning again!

I’m sad, angry . . . but now it’s only an edge.

I believe in YOU again, God—

with more than fifty percent of me,

and I’m scolding the other fifty percent,

for I know it has it all wrong!!!                                                        

The very air seems different.

Sounds are delicate and sweet.

Tender Grace pulls me—draws me,

chuckles at my obstinacy and dullness.

Yes, I’m hearing the birds again, Lord.

Once more, I have ears to hear.

                                   

    (With reflection upon Mt. 13:16.)

 ***

An opening to prayer/meditation:

* * *

A prayer of Easter-ing Grace (which follows us all the days of our lives):   

“All-awakening, all-resurrecting,” God,           

bursting out, bounding out in Easter,                  

not once . . . but ever and again!

Had You not Eastered me,

I would have no hope.  But, indeed, You have done so!

Not once but twice—and more and ever more!                               

We live because of You; we love because of You;

we breath because of You,

“greening,” revivifying,

“all-awakening, all-resurrecting” God.*

*Words St. Hildegard of Bingen used to describe God (quoted). [12]

*** 

A prayer of thank YOU and request:

I’ve known what it is to go from a winter of the soul

to surprising, full-blown spring,

to a taste of the wind of the Spirit,            

a taste of exquisite Grace.

“O taste and see that the Lord is sweet.” ^[13] 

We can know what all this means!—

breaking in upon us even before

we are wise enough to taste, wise enough to reach

(simply of our own accord).

We can know YOUR sweet, abundant Love!

Ever and again, make us wise!—

wise enough to "taste," wise enough 

to reach!  ^[14]      

*** 

“A Meditation upon Simple Choices”

"'Omnis festinatio ex parte diaboli est'--all haste is of

the devil, as the old masters used to say." - Carl Jung

                          

[15] 

  ***

A prayer to the "God of the RE-DO”:

  

*** 

A Secret Narnia!

“They had opened the door … found themselves in a 

quite different world from ours … Narnia.” - C. S. Lewis

I know a place like Narnia

Where pine trees form a canopy,

And only shafts of light pierce to

A forest floor of deepest peace.

It’s but my second visit here,

Though oft I’ve come in myths and dreams;

For here a silent door is found

That opens to realities

We only tell in parables—

Deepest truths we cannot speak!

What is Mercy?  What is Grace?

Renewal?  What?  We search; we seek                       

For ways to tell--for ways to share--

These mysteries we hardly know.

But in this mythic forest place

They whisper all about my soul. 

***

(See additional blog posts after the “Notes” in Newer/Older Posts.)

.....................................

Notes:

1. John Greenleaf Whittier, “Our Master.”

2. The Sanctuary of the Soul: Selected Writings of Thomas Kelly, ed. Keith

Beasley-Topliffe (Nashville: Upper Room, 1997), p. 59 (from The Eternal Promise).

3. “TENDER LOVE Will NOT Leave us Orphans”;

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2017/05/tender-love-will-not-leave-us-orphans.html

4. “Sacred Tenderness—Lost in Translation?”;

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/02/.

5. Morton T. Kelsey, God, Dreams, and Revelation: a Christian Interpretation of Dreams

(Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, l974), pp. 184-186 (from John Newton, The Life

of the Rev. John Newton).

6. “John Newton, Grace Gems, Choice Excerpts”; https://gracegems.org/Newton/john_newton_escerpts.htm.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. "Amazing Grace," 2006 British-American biographical drama about the effort to stop

the slave trade in the British Empire--campaign lead by William Wilberforce.  

Written by Steven Knight; directed by Michael Apted.

10. “Martin Luther’s Neglected Tenderness”;  

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/03/martin-luthers-neglected-tenderness.html

11. “Good Friday and Easter—In God’s Embrace”;

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2016/03/

12. Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Symphonia, ed. Barbara Newman (Ithaca: Cornell

University Press, 1988), “Antiphon for The Holy Spirit,” p. 141.

13. A translation of Ps. 34:8 and Martin Luther's translation of it in “The Magnificat,”

ed. Thomas S. Kepler, An Anthology of Devotional Literature (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1847), p. 262.  

14. Thoughts for meditation, prayer/poetry/proverbs by Lorraine B. Eshleman.

15. Regarding "and I will buy my soul again"--of course, I mean this poetically.

Only "ONE" could truly buy my soul; something I would not forget:

see 1 Cor. 6:20. (However, my own choices are also crucial.)