Grace Notes

I have been pondering grace a lot, lately. It’s another big word!  The dictionary definition of grace, in a human sense, is simple elegance and refined movement.  I looked up God’s grace, and it is defined as “unmerited favor,” a gift of His goodness that we do not deserve and could not earn if we tried!

I knew this post was going to have more music than scripture, but I wanted scriptural backing.  2 Corinthians 12:9 states that God’s grace is sufficient for us and is made perfect in our weakness.  The Bible also says that grace can be found in wilderness places (Jeremiah 31:2-3).  It justifies all of us who believe, freely, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).  It is granted to each of us, as apportioned by Christ (Ephesians 4:7).  It saves us, through faith, not of ourselves that we could boast, but as a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

I am a musician by trade and by nature, and as I pondered grace, I thought of grace notes.  Grace notes are extra, quick fluttery notes added to main notes in a piece of music.  These notes are, as the first definition says, simply elegant and refined.  They give the piece of music extra flair and finesse; enhancing what’s already there.  It makes the feel of the piece complete.  I knew I was supposed to title this post “Grace Notes.”  We could survive without grace, but we would be separated from God, lost, scared, anxious, and incomplete.  However,  His grace saves us, justifies us, and follows us wherever we go, completing us in communion with Jesus, kind of like “grace notes” complete a piece of music.

Now, my husband calls me “a music nerd,” and one of my mom’s famous quotes is “There’s a song for every occasion.”  So, I started searching out pertinent songs.  I had never before actually pondered what grace is, what it encompasses, what it does, where it’s found, the many forms it takes, the many places it shows up, and the many ways it shapes my life every day as a believer.  God’s grace is like giant bubble wrap in this crazy world we live in, keeping me wrapped in His love, peace, and protection, though I’m struck from every side by various forces, thoughts, and situations!

Music touches places nothing else can, and explains things in profoundly simple yet deeply touching ways!  There are so many songs about God’s grace, and it seems that each one portrays grace in a slightly different way.

The first and most important manifestation of grace, of course, is salvation!  One of the first songs I thought of as I pondered this early this morning, was Flawless by MercyMe…