Episode 114 - Amazing Grace
Grace means good will, loving-kindness, or favor. It is that extra something that comes our way whether we deserve it or not, and often when we least expect it. We don't have to earn grace, nor do we have to be someone special to receive it. It is an unconditional gift from the Divine. Grace is also something we can give to others when we decide to be gentle, let annoyances go, forgive, or find some other way to give someone a break. It's easier to give grace to people we barely know, and much harder to those who seriously challenge us. In this episode we share our experiences of receiving and giving Divine grace, and we learn the historical story behind the famous song, Amazing Grace.
NOTES
Paradoxes of God:
Father and mother
Transcendent and immanent
Principle and personal
Law and grace
‘Grace' in the bible is derived from the Greek word 'cheris.' Means Good will, loving-kindness, or favor. Also Divine mercy, or unearned aid.
That extra something that comes our way whether we deserve it or not, and often when we least expect it
We don't have to earn it
We all experience grace, whether we are aware of it or not
Grace is like having the wind at your back
Sometimes we call it luck or a break your life
Those times when Spirit brings ease to our lives, or maybe clears our path
“God’s will for you is perfect life, perfect wisdom, perfect love. This will, this divine desire is so intense, so continuous, so great that it even seeps through our willfully closed minds ... There is nothing mystical or puzzling about it; it is a very simple explanation of a process of life.” Eric Butterworth, author of Discover the Power Within You
Receiving Grace:
Being open and awake to all the grace we receive brings us to a place of gratitude
It lifts us up
Giving Grace:
When we give grace, we choose to give others a bit of a break
We choose to be the wind at their back, whether they deserve it or not
Some ways to give grace:
Show (undeserved or unearned) kindness
Be gentle with words
Let annoyances go
Give the benefit of the doubt
Show appreciation
Forgive
Be Light in the darkness
Amazing Grace, the song, was a message of forgiveness and redemption
Written in 1772 by John Newton, an Anglican priest and former slave trader
John Newton
Silent on the slave trade for 34 years
Published a pamphlet called, "Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade" describing the horrendous conditions on slave ships
“It will always be a subject of humiliating reflection to me, that I was once an active instrument in a business at which my heart now shudders.”
Pamphlet sent to every member of the British Parliament
In 1807, under the leadership of William Wilberforce, the transatlantic slave trade was finally abolished
Major change happens when consciousness is sufficiently raised to meet it
Do we give him grace? Do we give others like him grace? Do we give ourselves grace for our own moral blind spots?
During my run-up, I mention a blog post that I wrote on William Wilberforce and the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade. If you are interested, you can find it here.
If you are interested in some interesting renditions of Amazing Grace you can find them here and here.
Dialogue and Inquiry
Share a story about receiving grace. Whathappened? What was the result?
Share a story about givinggrace. What happened? What was the result?
What metaphor do you think bestexplains grace?
What is the true gift of grace?
Who needs our grace today?
How does giving and living as gracechange you and the world?
Closing Thought
God gives me grace without conditions. I do not have to work hard or earn divine blessings. My worthiness does not depend upon my actions. I am worthy of grace because of who I am. Grace takes action, too, showing up as delightful goodness in my life. I allow grace to overflow from my heart in free and joyous expression. I live and give in the fullness of grace.