One of the most well-known songs in Christianity is Amazing Grace. Originally, it was written by John Newman in 1773 as supporting words to a sermon. John was a man who learned about the amazing grace God has for his people the hard way. The music wasn’t attached to the words until 1779. But regardless of when it was published, or why, it still resonates in the hearts of most Christians. Those words become personal. The meaning behind it touches our hearts like nothing else. It is through grace that we are joined with Christ. And that, folks, is beyond Amazing!
Often times, I can almost sense that this song was also written for farmers. There are days we know that grace abounds on our place, and some days, we may have to look harder to find it. But it is always there.
Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound….
Nothing is sweeter than the sounds of newborn chicks. In a soft tiny voice, the peeping of babies is a song unto itself. They peep when they are content. Peeping is communication. They peep to tell you they are hungry or thirsty. It is the whispered voice of grace that floats across the gentle breeze, and it is one of the best background noises a farm can have.
T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace that fear relieved!
Farming isn’t just a bucolic life. There are certain fears that bring us to a standstill. When walking through a pasture, nothing can freeze you into place quicker than the ominous sound of a rattle. A fear-filled bellow from a Mama cow can make you run so fast you would think your shoes had grown wings. When a storm brews, it promises destruction in its wake. But because we are so in-tuned to our farm and its residents, our fear can be partly relieved because we have the security of knowing what can go wrong and how to handle it. Yes, there are some things outside of our power, but by grace, our fears are kept in check and our hearts are held together.
Through many dangers, toils and snares…
It can be dangerous living on a farm. Getting between a 2,200 pound bull and his herd is just asking for broken bones. Chores are physical challenges, with the aching muscles at the end of the day to prove it. Every day on a farm brings new challenges, and the snares can be both literal and figurative. But by grace, we can navigate the dangers, bear the burden of heavy lifting, and avoid the snares that are planted for the unsuspecting farmer to find.
And Grace will lead me home…
At the end of the day, we can stop and rest. We can view the visual signs of grace through the beautiful signs of a sunset. We can observe grace through the contented animals sleeping in the pasture. Knowing we worked alongside grace as we view the clean straight rows of the garden. We know grace is in action when we watch the tomatoes turn from green to red. And as we turn to go inside, we sigh with contentment, because we know that grace is living on the farm.
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