Song of the Week: Pretty Amazing Grace by Neil Diamond

I don’t think Neil Diamond is a Christian — as far as I know, he’s still Jewish — but he wrote a song called “Pretty Amazing Grace,” which blows my mind because it has some strong Christian concepts behind it. Maybe he’s resolved things between him and God? Who knows?

I’m currently reading a book called Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges. The book focuses on reminding Christians that God draws people to him based on his grace and mercy and not based on our merits or works. The Bible teaches there is nothing people can do to get to heaven. (Ephesians 2:8-9) I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and became a Baptist 16 years after being a Roman Catholic. Coming from a Roman Catholic background, I’d view my standing with God based on a “points” system. For example, let’s start at zero. If I was nice to or complimented someone, I’d give myself a +1. But later on, if I told a white lie to my parents, I’d give myself a -1 putting me right back where I started. So I’d go back and forth on this points system trying not to reach a deficit. The new church I joined taught that there was no points system, people couldn’t earn their way to heaven, and that one had to rely solely on God’s grace — the gift he gives the people who believe in Jesus Christ.

After a few years though, being a Christian became burdensome — not because of God — but because of the rules the church I attended would begin to impose in my life:

• you’re in sin if you don’t wear a skirt past your knees
• if you don’t go knocking on doors and proselytizing to people, you’re in sin
• if you’re not in church every time the doors are open, you’re in sin
• working on Sundays is a sin unless you’re a doctor or a nurse (it’s OK to heal people on the Sabbath)

The church taught one thing but did another. I began to feel as though I was never doing enough for God no matter how hard I tried. I was back on the points system.

Transforming Grace is a book intended to blow legalism out of the water. It takes legalistic concepts and casts them into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) or puts them as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). It reminds Christians that any blessings they receive or any favor they find in God’s sight is not based on what they do, how good they are, or how many “points” they’ve racked up. After years of bashing myself as a bad Christian, this book reminds me that in and of myself, I’m a pretty bad person. (Romans 3:10-12) But with a belief in Christ, God doesn’t see me as bad; he sees Christ’s righteousness. So there’s no more points to earn. There’s nothing I can do to make God love me any less or any more.

And this is where Neil Diamond’s song “Pretty Amazing Grace” steps in. I don’t know what Neil Diamond’s spiritual belief is but somehow, he’s grasped the concept of God’s grace quite well. As a result, I’ve chosen “Pretty Amazing Grace” for the song of the week as I continue my studies in learning more about Transforming Grace. You can listen to the full song here, and the lyrics are behind the cut.

Pretty amazing grace is what You showed me

pretty amazing grace is who You are

I was an empty vessel

You filled me up inside

and with amazing grace restored my pride

Pretty amazing grace is how You saved me

and with amazing grace reclaimed my heart

love in the midst of chaos

calm in the heat of war

showed with amazing grace what love was for

You forgave my insensitivity

and my attempt to then mislead You

You stood beside a wretch like me

Your pretty amazing grace was all I needed.

Stumbled inside the doorway of Your chapel

humbled in God by everything I found

beauty and love surround me

freed me from what I fear

ask for amazing grace and You appear

You overcame my loss of hope and faith

gave me a truth I could believe in

You led me to a higher place

showed Your amazing grace

when grace was what I needed

look in a mirror I see Your reflection

open a book You live on every page

I fall and You’re there to lift me

share every road I climb

and with amazing grace You ease my mind

Came to You with empty pockets first

when I returned I was a rich man

didn’t believe love could quench my thirst

but with amazing grace You showed me that it can

In Your amazing grace I had a vision

from that amazing place I came to be

into the night I wandered

wandering aimlessly

found Your amazing grace to comfort me.

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

pretty amazing

You overcame my loss of hope and faith,

gave me a truth I could believe in.

You led me to that higher place

showed me that love and truth and hope and grace were all I needed.

(pic via Springlobe)