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Unexpected Grace

Grace has been a theme of this week. Grace has been a very visible thing. Grace has come in tangible things! Grace came in my mailbox multiple times!

This morning I turned on my TV to watch the Today Show. Neil Diamond was the concert of the morning. He began with "America," in honor of Matt Lauer's "Where in the World?" series. Then he sang a new song. I was shocked (in a good way) with what I heard. The album drops on Tuesday, and when it's released on iTunes, I will be buying this song.
What caught me was the second stanza. (love in the midst of chaos, calm in heat of war)

The video is available on Amazon, but it's a bad recording.
Here are the lyrics.

Pretty amazing grace is what You showed me
pretty amazing grace is who You are
I was an empty vessel
You filled me up inside
and with amazing grace restored my pride

Pretty amazing grace is how You saved me
and with amazing grace reclaimed my heart
love in the midst of chaos
calm in the heat of war
showed with amazing grace what love was for

You forgave my insensitivity
and my attempt to then mislead You
You stood beside a wretch like me
Your pretty amazing grace was all I needed.

Stumbled inside the doorway of Your chapel
humbled in God by everything I found
beauty and love surround me
freed me from what I fear
ask for amazing grace and You appear

You overcame my loss of hope and faith
gave me a truth I could belive in
You led me to a higher place
showed Your amazing grace
when grace was what I needed

look in a mirror I see Your reflection
open a book You live on every page
I fall and You're there to lift me
share every road I climb
and with amazing grace You ease my mind

Came to You with empty pockets first
when I returned I was rich man
didn't believe love could quench my thirst
but with amazing grace You showed me that it can

In Your amazing grace I had a vision
from that amazing place I came to be
into the night I wandered
wandering aimlessly
found Your amazing grace to comfort me.

You overcame my loss of hope and faith,
gave me a truth I could believe in.
You led me to that higher place
showed me that love and truth and hope and grace were all I needed.

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