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There is a curious situation involving a currently popular hymn. The words are altogether contrary to our general cultural perspective, yet the hymn often shows up. It showed up at the 9-11 Memorial Service, the Notre Dame-Michigan State game, the Memorial for the Charleston shootings and sung by President Obama, an Andre Rieu concert, a Memorial for Covid deaths, and an estimated ten million times annually throughout the world. It is a very popular hymn. The odd thing is its origin.

In 1772 a slave ship captained by one John Newton almost sank off the coast of Ireland. Newton was miraculously saved, quit the slave trade, became an Anglican priest and with William Wilberforce persuaded the British Parliament to outlaw slavery in England.

Newton’s apparently miraculous escape from drowning at sea moved him to eventually become a Christian, and while you may have heard the hymn many times, it is possible you haven’t sufficiently meditated on the words.

Grace is the undeserved gift of God. Considering our vain and selfish ways, it is indeed amazing, and it had a ‘sweet’ sound to Newton who regarded himself as a “wretch who once was lost”, was blind but now sees. For Newton, “Grace will lead me home.” God’s Grace will, if we ask, lead all of us home.