The Palm of His Hands

Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound

One of my favorite gospel hymns is Amazing Grace. To me there is nothing sweeter sounding than a group of bagpipes playing that hymn. I love music and I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Put them together and wonderful things happen. Watch this video of Andre Rieu and their performance of “Amazing Grace”. As they start playing there is not much emotion from the audience, but as the the hymn progress and the bagpipe joins in people start hugging and wiping tears. You can see they are feeling the spirit that uplifting music can bring. It really is amazing how the spirit can bring healing to all around. Just think of the power of uplifting music to bring people, even nations together united in praising God.

The first few words of this hymn really express how music touches our spirits and lift us:

1.     Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

2.     ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

3.     Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

One of the most precious gifts I have been given is to know that we have a Savior that has already paid the price for every sin that I have committed or ever will do and because of that gift I can stand before our Heavenly Father with confidence that I am clean. This is how the Lord describes how he will plead for us at the judgment day:

Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:3-5)

What a wonderful gift to know that we will have Jesus Christ, our Savior, pleading with the Father for us. What an amazing thing the gift of grace is. All we need to do to be worthy of this gift, is to show our love for the Savior by obeying his commandments, repenting of our sins, and come to him and acknowledge our faults and weaknesses and inability to do this without his help.

Here is another short video of my favorite rendition of “Amazing Grace” it is by the Celtic Woman.

Is it any wonder that the Lord has said that “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:12)? The sound of good gospel music is sweet especially when dealing with the amazing gift of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your comments and questions are welcome.