Saturday 01 September 2012

Background

"Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

"His dying crimson, like a robe,
spreads o'er his body on the tree;
then I am dead to all the globe,
and all the globe is dead to me."

These are the second and fourth verses of the hymn "When I survey the wondrous cross". It wouldseem that its author, Isaac Watts, had today's passage in mind whenhe wrote these words. In fact the first two lines of the secondverse look like a paraphrase of Galatians 6:14.

Paul is coming to the end of his letter and is using theopportunity to emphasise the points that he has been trying tomake. Contrary to other letters which were dictated to a scribe,Paul is writing this with his own hand (verse 11) as if what he issaying is too important to be left to anyone else.

Here the cross and the saving work of Christ upon it takecentral place. All else is secondary or unimportant - circumcision,the law. And everything stems from the cross and the new lifeoffered by it (verse 15).

Paul concludes with the words (v. 18): "May the grace of ourLord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers andsisters. Amen." Grace is the freely given love of God whichforgives, restores and renews all. It is the grace of God that tookthe initiative in salvation. It is grace that really matters.

To Ponder

• When I survey the wondrous cross is a popular and deeplymeaningful hymn. Many people turn to it as a support when times aredifficult. Which hymns and or songs mean a lot to you and sustainyou when things are hard? Why?

• Read the words of "When I survey" slowly. Reflect on what they sayas if you are saying it for the first time and the "I" and "me" and"my" is you.

• Listen to Neil Diamond's song "Pretty amazing grace" . In the light of this,what does God's grace mean to you?