Ever since I heard this Neil Diamond track I have been entranced by its simplicity and accuracy as a description of the graceful generosity with which God has reached out to humanity in Jesus.
Now I have no idea what religious or spiritual motivation lies behind the writing or singing of this track. Although the line "You stood beside a wretch like me" certainly has echoes of Newton's Amazing Grace.
What I do know is that it has the potential to generate a response of a spiritual dimension from people with little or no attachment to institutionalised religion.
Which in turn makes the song a vehicle for God's grace.
The idea of grace begetting grace is well established. In 'Round Ireland with a fridge' Tony Hawkes recalls an incident in which having received a gift (I think it was a lift in a van with his fridge) Hawkes asks what he can do in return. The response was simple and direct: pass it on.
Having received a gift, instead of simply returning it to its source, we should instead pass it on to someone else.
That sounds like a good description of Christian discipleship to me.
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