Friday 24 April. Song 92 ‘Now through the grace of God’
Words: Michael Perry © Jubilate Hymns / Music: Charles Hutcheson © OUP
YouTube recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKbEgVKJFU
Featured image: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The words of this song are intended for use at a service of Baptism, however as it does make reference to Jesus crucified and risen, it is still suitable for use in the Easter season. This ties in with the Christian understanding of baptism, which was traditionally performed by preference on Easter Day, after using Lent as a period of spiritual and theological preparation. Baptism (descending into the water and rising out of it, cleansed) is a symbol both of being cleansed from our sin, and also ‘dying with Christ and rising with him’ into a new way of life.

In the first verse, ‘we claim this life to be his own’. It is a reminder that in St Paul’s words, ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’. In the second verse, we recall Jesus who ‘broke the power of sin’ and ‘lives to plead for those baptised’. A reminder that although now unseen, Jesus is still alive in heaven and intercedes with the Father for us.

In the last verse we are urged to ‘act upon his word’, rejoicing in our faith’. The Christian faith is never just to be believed, but acted out.

Once again, I have not found a recording using the tune by Charles Hutcheson in Common Ground, only two that sang the words to the well known tune ‘Amazing Grace’, perhaps because of the use of the word ‘grace’ in the first line. It does work.