A few minutes ago I finished reading the story of the crucifixion in John chapter 19 while listening to Amazing Grace on the radio. I tried to imagine the pain that Jesus went through on the cross; the thorns gouging into His head, the nails piercing His wrists, the beatings ripping open His flesh, and the outright humiliation He went through paints an unmatched picture of grace. He shouldered the full weight our sin, bearing the punishment that me and you deserved.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,"

                            -Titus 2:11

Four or five months ago, if you would have asked me to tell you the difference between God's grace and His mercy, I probably would've been hard-pressed to give you an answer. But now I realize that, even though they are similar, there is a difference: God's mercy is when He saves us from what we do deserve, and grace is when He offers us what we don't deserve. For example, when God saved me, He delivered my soul from hell; that was mercy. But instead of stopping there, He took it a step further and offered me heaven instead; that is grace - amazing grace.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows..." 

                            -Isaiah 53:4

We often say that our debt of sin was canceled, but that is simply not true; it was paid in full by the One to whom it was owed! What amazing grace!