His Grace Reaches Me

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/yqdwfv

Some people are so stubborn and independent that they simply will not accept help from anyone. Such was the case with George Wilson in 1829. He had been convicted of murder and was sentenced to die. Andrew Jackson, then the President of the United States, granted Wilson a pardon but he refused to accept it. Can you imagine not accepting such a blessing?

It was highly unusual for a condemned man to turn down a pardon, so the government began legal proceedings to force Wilson to accept the pardon. When it reached the Supreme Court their ruling stated, “A pardon is a paper, the value of which depends upon its acceptance by the parties implicated. It is hardly to be supposed that one under sentence to die would refuse to accept a pardon. But if it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must hang.” And he did.

Perhaps no one will ever know why Wilson was so stubborn. Maybe he was looking to cause pain for others by going ahead with his hanging. Or he might have thought that since he was guilty then he must pay the price for his crime. We will never know for sure. But isn’t it sad to think that a man would turn down his salvation for whatever reason?

Whitey Gleason, who toured for years with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, wrote the words to the song, “His Grace Reaches Me,” while riding on a tour bus one night. He recalls that it only took him about 30 minutes for the song to come together.

He went on to write over 2,000 songs, of which 200 have been published and recorded. We are certainly in his debt for the beautiful song which he wrote.

Listen now to the first verse and chorus of “His Grace Reaches Me.”

Deeper than the ocean

And wider than the sea,

Is the grace of the Savior

For sinners like me;

Sent from the Father,

And it thrills my soul,

Just to feel and to know

That His blood makes me whole.

His grace reaches me,

Yes, His grace reaches me.

And ‘twill last thru eternity;

Now I’m under His control

And I’m happy in my soul,

Just to know that His grace reaches me.

Many people will fall into sin and despair in this life. In fact, we all sin and fall short of God’s expectations. That’s what Paul stated in Romans 3:23. If left in that state of sin, our wages for sin will be death or eternal separation from God. Paul says that in Romans 6:23.

It is by God’s grace that our pardon for sins was made possible. Listen to these words from Paul recorded in Ephesians 2:8-10.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Like George Wilson many people alive today will never accept the pardon of sins that God offers. And like George Wilson, we may never fully realize the reasons why.

But to those who accept that pardon through faith and obedience there is great joy to be realized. The penalty of our sins has been washed away. Our citizenship has been established in heaven. God’s grace has indeed reached down to us.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we be quick to accept the forgiveness that God offers and may we never delay drawing near to God.

Our thought for the day: “Law condemns the best man; grace saves the worst man.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.