In his book What's So Amazing About Grace? Philip Yancey says that "the world thirsts for grace in ways it does not even recognize." He writes, "Little wonder the hymn 'Amazing Grace' edged its way onto the Top Ten charts two hundred years after composition."

The hymn's composer John Newton, who was once an infidel and slave trader, had been thirsty for grace. After he discovered the grace of God, he never ceased to be amazed. And people have never ceased singing his song, "Amazing Grace."

But what is grace? Paul summed up its countless virtues by calling them "exceeding riches" (Eph. 2:7). He spelled out some of those riches in Ephesians 2. Grace is: God's favor bestowed on undeserving people (v.1); God's instrument for bringing salvation to each believer (v.8); God's provision of spiritual fellowship with others (vv.5-6); and God's creative influence, equipping the believer to fulfill His purposes (v.10).

God's grace is not only amazingly rich, it's also free. Yancey points out, "Grace is free only because the giver Himself has borne the cost."

Let's drink deeply of God's amazing grace so that we will be grace-dispensers to a thirsty world.  — Joanie Yoder