“’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.”
Newton describes grace as “precious.” The Internet dictionary describes precious as meaning, “(of an object, substance, or resource) of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly.” But our generation might think of Gollum’s quest to regain the ring of power in Lord of the Rings. He called the ring his “Precious.” Then again, the famous rock-n-roll singer Elvis Presley sang “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” (tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d58bZ4kSPDs).
“Precious” can describe something that is a feeling about something near and dear to us but that feeling can be possessive as with Gollum and self absorbing or it can be outward focused to God as with Elvis Presley and John Newton. Ephesians 2:8 shares
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
Realization of grace involves humility, not boasting, and leads to an understanding of our undeservedness and hence the preciousness of God’s gifts. Perhaps “precious” is not the word you would use to describe the grace, the undeserved blessings, in your life because you know “the Lord is risen” and alive in your life. But what word would you use? Name one of those blessings and choose the adjective you would use to describe that blessing. Say a prayer of thanksgiving! God is gracious and that is precious.
On the Way to Wonder 