11.20.05
The True Meaning of Grace Notes
by Dee Andrews The word “grace note” is a musical term meaning (according to Webster’s New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition): “A note not necessary to the melody, added only for ornamentation: it is usually printed as a small note with a slant line through the stem, just before the note that it embellishes . . ..” In other words, it is something extra. A special accent. Something added. The word “gracious” (in the same dictionary) means: “1. having or showing kindness, courtesy, charm, etc. 2. merciful; compassionate . . ..” and so on. Theologically and Biblically, “grace” means “the unmerited love and favor of God toward mankind; divine influence acting in a person to make the person pure, morally strong, etc.; a special virtue, gift, or help given to a person by God . . ..” In doing a Google search this afternoon for the word “Grace Note” I found an article from Christianity Today from October 28, 1996 entitled “Grace Note” by a man named Luis Palau about his favorite Old Testament passage, Psalm 32, and I found it to be a better description of and/or definition of “grace note” than I can give. In that article, Palau said, in part:How does all of the above fit in with this endeavor, our “Grace Notes” blog, you ask?After an evangelistic luncheon in suburban Chicago this spring, an elderly man slowly walked toward me. He introduced himself as a retired university professor once nominated for a Nobel Prize. I asked him, “Do you have eternal life, or are you still on the way?” “When I was a boy, I had faith,” he answered, “and then I lost it. Now it’s too late. God will never take me back.” “Professor, why do you say that?” “Because I am so unworthy, that’s why. I’m so unworthy.” I assured the professor that God could take away his guilt-even 40 years’ worth. David wrote, after he had committed adultery and murder and after a period of miserable silence, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’-and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 32:3-5, NIV). David found relief and happiness in knowing his transgressions were forgiven, his sins covered, and the Lord did not count his sin against him. Sin needs to be taken care of. Either God covers it or we cover it up.
There’s a big difference. As Rudyard Kipling said, “Nothing is ever settled until it’s settled right.” When God covers it, it’s settled forever. Psalm 32 is a clear statement of the New Testament gospel. For troubled souls overwhelmed by their guilt, sin, and failure, few passages in all of Scripture can give peace like this one. Offering assurance of forgiveness, Psalm 32 lets us know that God has set us free.
Because when others serve as “ornamentation” to embellish our lives in the ways described above and in all of our posts so far, they, whether knowingly or not, are serving as examples of graciousness that comes from God.
We are encouraged by their acts of kindness and courtesy and mercy and time. Hopefully, we will all also be encouraged to go out and do the same in these stressful times we live in.
Have you been a grace note in someone’s life today?
Ron said,
December 11, 2005 at 3:16 pm
Dee, A very interesting article indeed! We were talking about appreciation today in church, and I think that letting people in your life know they are appreciated is being a grace note in their lives.