My Identity

Amazing grace Judy Collins

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace that fear relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
And drives away his fear

Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free
No, there's a cross for everyone
And there's a cross for me.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we first begun










「奇異恩典」的歌詞是由約翰紐敦（John Newton 美國白人）所作，歌詞簡潔充滿敬虔、感恩的告白，也是他的生命見證。

約翰紐敦父親為船長，在地中海經商。六歲喪母，入學僅兩年，11歲隨父跑船，早年放蕩墮落，見棄於親父，受虐於僱主，終至身繫囹圄，後來被販賣到奴隸船為奴，顛沛困頓，歷盡艱險。有一次他讀到金篳時（Thomas Kempis）所著「效法基督」（Imitation of Christ）一書，幡然悔悟。又在一次海上大風浪中險些喪生，從此洗心革面。39歲膺受聖職，以其餘年事奉上主。

約翰紐敦在奧而麗牧會15年，寫作聖詩極多，晚年在倫敦聖瑪利教堂牧會時，記憶力日漸衰退，甚至有時後語不對前言，有人建議他退休，他說：「我的記憶力已似全失，但我還能記得兩件事：第一、我是一個大罪人，第二、基督是大救主。」

在英國奧而麗教區的聖彼得與保羅教堂，有一座墓誌銘寫著：「約翰紐敦，曾任僱役；行為放蕩，頑梗悖逆；落魄非洲，淪為奴隸；主恩憐恤，脫離罪域；蒙召事奉，迺膺聖職，前棄真道，終傳訊息。」
「奇異恩典」一詩中，約翰紐敦自稱為「卑鄙惡者」，不配蒙主「恩典」，但主耶穌竟將此恩典施於其身，當他得知基督深愛罪人，並為罪人受死，他心中充滿無限驚奇，進而知曉眾罪已蒙恩赦。約翰紐敦從一個身歷萬劫，遭遇絕境的落難人，轉變為一個博貫群經，榮神益人，蒙主重用的鼎鼎大名宗教領袖，正是「奇異恩典」最好的寫照