GROWING SEEDS: 'My Chains Are Gone"

About twelve years ago, while sitting in my favorite chair in the living room reading one morning, I came across a website called "Gently Broken".  As I poured over the contents of this beautifully healing website, I came across the song, "Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone".  

At the time, I hadn't been to church in a number of years, so I didn't realize this remake of the Amazing Grace I had known as a child was now a common song in many churches.  And something amazing happened as I heard these words for the first time...

"My chains are gone, I've been set free...

My Savior has ransomed me.  

And like a flood, His mercy rains, 

Unending love, AMAZING GRACE."

These words touched a place inside of me that felt like the finger of God touching my very soul.  It was then that I realized the bondage of legalism I had been living in most of my life.  Much like the earthquake Paul felt while in prison which caused his chains to come unfastened and the cell doors to swing wide open in Acts 16, I felt an earthquake of freedom in Christ I had never felt before.

Tears flowed from my eyes as I found my hands outstretched in front of me, feeling the weight of the heavy chains of denominational rules falling to the floor.  And the chains were replaced with Grace, Forgiveness and Relationship and the knowledge that there was nothing I could "do" to earn my ticket to Heaven...no amount of "works" or "good deeds" could get me an address in Heaven.  I simply needed to Believe and Love the Lord my God with every fiber of my heart. 

"The jailor called for lights, and rushing in (to the cell), he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas asking, 

'What must I do to be saved?'  

They answered, "BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus, and you will be SAVED."

Acts 16:31

Yes, it was Grace that taught my heart to fear that day....and Grace my fears relieved.  How absolutely precious did that Grace appear....that hour I first believed.