Daily Devotional

This is my 72nd Easter celebration—my 32nd in Fresno. For many years we held sunrise services at Woodward Park in North Fresno. On some of those early morning services it was so cold that I could barely turn the pages of my Bible. On one memorable sunrise, the moon was brightly shining just over my shoulder. Of course, some days we huddled under a canopy to get out of the rain.

Over the years I have come to realize that rain or shine, warm or cold, Easter is my favorite holiday and I think Easter music is my favorite music. It is hard to narrow down my favorites to even a few. It certainly is not “Put on your Easter Bonnet with all the frills upon it.”

I was recently reminded of a song we first sang in an Easter musical many years ago. It is entitled: "Were It Not For Grace", written by David Hamilton and Phill Mchugh:          

Were it not for grace,
I can tell you where I’d be.
Wand’ring down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me

I know how that would go,
The battles I would face.
Forever running, but losing the race
Were it not for grace.

So here is all my praise,
Expressed with all my heart.
Offered to the Friend who took my place,
And ran the course I couldn’t even start.  

And when He saw in full,          
Just how much His love would cost.          
He still went the final mile between me and heaven,          
So I would not be lost…Were it not for grace  

The song ends with the old hymn…          

Grace, grace, God’s grace          
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within          
Grace, grace, God’s grace          
Grace that is greater than all our sin.          

What do we think of when you think of grace? Perhaps it’s that moment when we bow our heads and say a few words before a meal. Perhaps it’s the name of a loved one or friend. But grace is far more than a prayer or a name. Grace is the foundation of our salvation, the unmerited favor of God bestowed on us who are so undeserving, the free gift of salvation offered to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation and the reminder that without God’s mercy we would be wand’ring down a pointless road to nowhere. All of this was made possible by the death, burial and bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And now we who are saved by grace sing a new song because we have a new heart and a new life.      

Though they certainly never intended it to be so, in the turbulent 60’s the Beatles sang a song that described a person without a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ:          

He’s a real nowhere man.          
Sitting in His nowhere land.          
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.          
Doesn’t have a point of view.          
Knows not where he’s going to          
Isn’t he a bit like you and me.          
Nowhere man. Please listen...          
You don’t know what you’re missin’          
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.          

My friends, the story of grace is not new. It is often found in old and familiar songs like “Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” But it is more often told throughout the age—not in song or in poetic fashion, but in personal and private testimonies of lives that have been changed. It is a new song on the lips of parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and acquaintances—each with a very unique testimony of the impact of God’s grace on their lives. I can’t help but reflect on yet another old hymn:          

Oh for a thousand tongues to sing,          
Our Great Redeemers praise.          
The glories of our God and King,          
The triumphs of His grace.          

That’s what Resurrection Week is all about. We are not just remembering the death, burial and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are here remembering the triumph of God’s power over death and the triumph of God’s grace in our lives.          

This week, as you gather with family and friends, do more than eat and fellowship. Sing a new song that flows from your hearts. Talk about God’s grace and His free gift of salvation. We may not be famous preachers but if we are a born-again Christians then we are experts concerning God’s grace—object lessons of God’s mercy! Our lives are the message of grace, declaring to family and friends as well as to the world that God sent His only begotten Son to die in our place and to offer us His free gift of eternal life. Our Savior rose from the grave and is alive today and He is offering joy and hope and peace that surpasses our human experience to even the most desperate of sinners. Another great hymn of the faith comes to mind…          

Years I spent in vanity and pride.          
Knowing not my Lord was crucified.          
Knowing not it was for me He died          
At Calvary.          

Mercy there was great,          
And grace was free.          
Pardon there was multiplied to me.          
There my burdened soul found liberty,          
At Calvary.          

May the Risen Lord open our mouths in songs of praise as He shines through our hearts during this Resurrection Week. I am singing as I write: “Forever running but losing the race, were it not for grace.”