First of all, you should probably knew that I’ve spent most
of my life in churches whose Sunday morning service music selection mostly
includes hymns (gotta love the good old Southern Baptists for that). Start
playing one and I will, at the very least, start humming along. I have them
memorized.
Which is why hymns don’t make so much of an impact on me,
unless a current music artist revamps or revives it. There are definitely times
when I check out on Sunday mornings during the worship service… I know the songs
so well that my brain doesn’t have to work very hard to get me singing.
Dangerous territory, I know.
I fell in love again with “Amazing Grace” when Todd Agnew
did “Grace Like Rain.” For me, it was like the missing chorus had been added.
The hymn was not only back on the radar, but shot up the list, and his take on
it made its way up my most played list.
But different songs speak at different times, and after
awhile, Grace Like Rain lost its significance. If it was played at church, I
could and would sing along, but I didn’t listen to it otherwise.
I guess that’s why it struck me one night a few weeks ago
night. Our normal Wednesday night service was our bi-monthly all music night,
and one of the bands performed it. I knew it as soon as they started, and
looked forward to it. It’s been months since I’ve heard the song. I started
looking forward to the rest with great anticipation, not expecting what came
next.
Hallelujah, grace like
rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, and all my
stains are washed away
I don’t know about your experiences with this song, but the
second I heard it that night, I went still. God’s still, small voice spoke
mightily in my ear. “It’s my grace falling down on you, Cat. Falling down just
like rain. And it’s my son whose blood washed the stains away. Believe me when
I tell you that is more than sufficient to cover you.”
That voice unlocked a tiny, tiny door. For the first time in
days, the tension that had been building in my system disappeared. Once again,
I was letting Satan’s lies take seed in my heart instead of the truth of God’s
word. And once again, God gave me a gentle reminder of his truth that sent most
of the seeds flying.
Wouldn’t it be lovely for something like that to happen a
little more often?
