Grace Is Amazing

“And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.”  Exodus 14:22

Some folks don’t believe that God parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel to walk across on dry ground in their flight from Pharaoh’s army.  Since it is a fact that Israel made this journey to the Promised Land, some believe that the Red Sea was only a few inches deep, but others point out that Pharaoh’s army and horses would not have drowned in a few inches of water.  And still there are some folks who believe that this is just an allegory, that is, a fable, that was included in Scripture as a teaching aid.  However, there are too many historical episodes that occurred in this ancient time for this to not be an actual event.

Believers know that we are living in what is called the “age of grace”, that is, the Jewish law is no longer applicable as a temporary means of satisfying God’s righteousness, but under grace because of God’s plan of salvation that was ushered in when Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected to provide forgiveness from sin and reconciliation back to the Father.  However, God’s grace did not originate with Christ’s death and resurrection.  The first time that grace is mentioned in scripture is found in Genesis 6:8 when Noah “found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”  From the time of Abraham until the time of the giving of the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai, Israel was under the sovereign grace of God.  Just before God gave the law to Moses, He spoke to the people of Israel through Moses declaring that they would be His “peculiar treasure” (Exodus 19:5-8) as long as they were obedient to Him.  They pridefully responded that they would do all that the LORD commanded.  However, they couldn’t even wait for Moses to return from the mountain before they made a golden calf, an idol to worship.

The law has no ability to save because man cannot keep the law.  It was given to show man his need for grace by which God would send Christ to pay the penalty for sin.  Paul, in Galatians 3:24, called the law a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.”  I truly believe that we do not fully understand just how amazing that grace is.  It is the undeserved favor of the most holy, righteous, and sovereign God of the universe.  It was His grace that chose Abraham to be the father of a nation, also chosen by God’s grace, all the way to someone like me, insignificant to the world, yet undeservedly favored by the Creator of all things.

Neil Diamond wrote a song in 2008 entitled “Pretty Amazing Grace”.  The second verse is as follows:  “Pretty amazing grace is how You saved me; And with amazing grace reclaimed by heart; Love in the midst of chaos; Calm in the heat of war; Showed with amazing grace what love was for.”  I know that Mr. Diamond is Jewish, and I don’t know where he stands in his relationship with the Lord, but the words of his song are a pretty good description of the amazing grace of God.  Where would we be without God’s amazing grace?