He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree. We are his portion and he is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes If grace is an ocean we're all sinking . . .
I remember the first time I heard the song "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan. I was in Church at 12Stone, the lights were dimmed, every seat was taken, Hands all over the room were lifted up and the Words "If Grace is an ocean we're all sinking" was shared. . . . Voices all over the room were cheering over this statement.
This was very early in my recommitment to the Lord and I remember thinking, "Why is everyone happy that we're sinking?" It was quite a quandary for me at the time.
It's an amazing thing how the Brain works. Our Understanding of the things, which we hear, study and even speak. These simple words 7 years ago meant one thing to me, today they mean so much more.
I'm going through a songwriting course now and I'm learning about rhythm and spotlighting words. How important it is to place words and their relatives so that the audience feels the emotion you are trying to relate. So when I first heard this song, I heard "sinking", today I hear "Grace", "Ocean", "All".
So, what changed? How could (8) words change in their meaning over the course of 7 years?
My understanding of Grace.
Let's start with the definition of Grace - Grace is defined as: Mercy, Unmerited Favor, Clemency, Pardon
Ephesians 2:1 shares that "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." What does this mean? "DEAD" when we feel alive? When our Father created us, He did so in that we could have a relationship with Him. When we chose to turn away from Him in the Garden, we opened the door for sin in our lives which separated us from Him and from the relationship He wanted with us. God cannot look on sin, so in our sin we did not have a chance for Eternity with Him, therefore when we delve in sin, we are dead.
In walks Grace!
Ephesians 2:4-10 goes on to share that In God's great love for us, God who is RICH in MERCY, made us ALIVE with Christ EVEN when we were dead in transgressions- it is by GRACE we have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly Realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His GRACE, expressed in His Kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through Faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
This weekend, we will celebrate the Death of our Great Savior, Jesus. I know, sounds a little weird to celebrate someone's death, but in this case, HIS DEATH brings US LIFE. His Death and resurrection became the turning point for our opportunity to have a relationship with our Father. His Kindness to us in sending His Son to die for our sins was a GIFT. The greatest gift we could ever receive, ETERNITY with our CREATOR, our FATHER, our GOD!
So, now when I sing the lyric "If Grace is an ocean we're all sinking", I, too can cheer. Instead of flailing at the top trying to swim my way to shore, I can sink in the great ocean of My Father's Grace with the Understanding that He Loves me more than anyone ever could and there is nothing that I have to do to earn it. My name was on His Heart at The Cross.
Father, thank you so very much for Your Great Love for Your people! Your continued pursuit of our hearts and Your continued Love for us is humbling and amazing. I am so thankful that You choose to walk with us and that all we have to do is turn our eyes to You, accept Your gift of Grace and have Faith of Your Great Love. I pray Father that as we all turn to You and to Your Son this Easter weekend, that we all will remember the Great Sacrifice at The Cross and give You the thanks and the Glory.
Your Loving Daughter
