Grace Wins Every Time

New Obsession Song : Grace Wins by Matthew West.

I was putting together a new Spotify playlist yesterday and I was like "oh yeah, Matthew West has a new song, I'll add that."

I have basically been listening to it non stop over the past 24 hours. My journey with Christ hasn't always been the best. I haven't been the best person. I have had the face of a Christian and then behind closed doors was living in so much sin. I will always be a sinner. My past will never change. But praise The Lord that my future is forever changed because of the relationship I've begun to build with Jesus.

When I went to look up the definition of Grace, the most simple and perfect way to define it is in one word. Mercy. And of course, being the person I am, I wanted the definition of Mercy. Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. If that doesn't describe the grace of our God than I don't know what does.

Now for me, I could listen to a song and love it and sing along to it for days, but until I read the lyrics, the song never truly hits home. So this morning I decided to read through the lyrics of Grace Wins while listening to it. And right away the first verse really just grabbed me by the heart and said "Amanda you need to listen to this"

In my weakest moment I see you
Shaking your head in disgrace
I can read the disappointment
Written all over your face

Here comes those whispers in my ear
Saying who do you think you are
Looks like you're on your own from here
Cause grace could never reach that far

 

I swear I think this was written for and about me.

 

In the first phrase, it's us really just looking up to God and knowing how disappointed in us he is. The second phrase is all about the Devil getting into our head and saying "Well, sorry. That's just too far for God to love you anymore."

 

But then the chorus guys. The chorus just makes me cry.

 

There's a war between guilt and grace
And they're fighting for a sacred space
But I'm living proof
Grace wins every time

 

 

I'm living proof that grace wins every time! I am still here. God hasn't cast me out. He is still right here, no matter how far I've strayed from him. No matter how much I doubt, he's still here. When I come running back, he's here. When I look for forgiveness, he covers me with that grace!

 

 

For the prodigal son, grace wins
For the woman at the well, grace wins
For the blind man and the beggar, grace wins
For always and forever, grace wins For the lost out on the street, grace wins
For the worst part of you and me, grace wins
For the theif on the cross, grace wins
For a world that it lost

 

I really wanted to dig deep into the bridge. Because Matthew West talks about so many different people, both biblically and in our world now, that grace still was given to them! So let's get into this.

 

For the prodigal son, grace wins.

 

The story of the prodigal son is one that most people know about. The story can be found in Luke 15 verses 11-32. It tells of a man with two sons, the younger of which wanted his share of his father's estate, and then left home. After leaving home, the younger son went through all of his belongings and ended up having to work feeding pigs, starving. He knew he needed to go back home, but thought his father would never take him back into his home. But when he returned home, his father was so overjoyed to have his son back that they threw a huge party in honor of him coming home. Grace won! 

 

For the woman at the well, grace wins

 

The story of the woman at the well may not be quite as popular as the prodigal son, but I think it is one of my favorite biblical stories. Jesus goes to Samaria and after traveling sits by a well. When a woman comes to draw water from it he asks her for a drink. Her response is "You are a Jew and I am a Samarian, how can you ask me for a drink?" At this point, Jesus starts to tell her of the living water that salvation in him gives. Of course, this woman wants to know more about this eternal life water and so Jesus tells her "go and fetch your husband." She responded telling him that she didn't have a husband. And Jesus, being the kind of guy he is says "You're right. You actually have 5. And the man you're with right now isn't even your husband." Wow, Jesus 1: Samarian woman: 0. But guess what, because she decided to follow Jesus, Grace won!

 

For the blind man and the beggar, grace wins

 

Jesus was a healer, not only of physical ailments but of the soul. In John 9:1-11, Jesus meets this blind man from birth (who is also a beggar). His disciples asked him "Who sinned?  The man or his parents?" Jesus replied that it was neither, but he was blind so that the works of God would be displayed in him. He rubbed mud on his eyes and told the blind man to go and wash it off. When the man returned, the people of the town were surprised to find that this man who could now see was the same man who left a blind beggar. Because of Jesus' healing hand, Grace won!

 

I could go on and on about everyone else on this list, but I thought it was important to point out that these 3 people in the bible all had different sins, different stories, and came to The Father in different ways, but no matter their sin, no matter how far they strayed and turned from God, they all came back. God loves me, and he loves you too! Even when you're down, feeling so low that no one could ever love you, especially this perfect man called Jesus, know that he does love you, and he wants you. He wants every broken piece of you. God wants to use you for his kingdom and to show you that grace wins every time!

 

If you're reading this today and you aren't a follower of Christ and you're wondering what this crazy lady on the internet is talking about, I encourage you to send me a message. I know that when I first started going back to church in college, after growing up in a very traditional church, that I was so confused by all of this. How could God love me? I've been told God knows everything that I've done since day 1. How could God want me? How could he use me?

 

My friends, it's my past, my sin, and how I've overcome so many things in 23 years. That's how God is using me. He's using me through this blog, through talking with people in my community, through singing at church, and in my daily life of just surrendering all to him. He's using me. And I assure you, if he can use me and take me and love me, he wants you too!

 

Scripture of the day for you

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship" - Romans 12:1

 

God Bless

Amanda