Wonderful grace that gives what I don't deserve

Of the many texts about the grace of God, some (like 772) make an assumption that we know what it means, while others (749) delight to spell out its story. Few, like this song by John Pantry, encapsulate its essence so succinctly, and that in the opening lines. Written and composed in 1990, with its own tune WONDERFUL GRACE, it has so far proved one of the most popular of its author’s many songs. It entered the MP series, with Christopher Norton’s arrangement as here, in 1996. JP writes: ‘The apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:4–9 are important for understanding God’s wonderful grace, otherwise described as his kindness, unmerited favour and forgiving love … No human effort can contribute to our salvation; it is the gift of God.’ ‘Wonderful’ is a word valued in Scripture, both before and after Isaiah 9:6. An older generation was also served by the gospel song from 1918 by Haldor Lillenas, Wonderful grace of Jesus, the tune for which was given the same name.

b Harrow, Middx 1946. After school he trained in recording engineering studios in C London for two and a half years, while developing his own singing and songwriting gifts. So he has been a performer as well as record producer and radio DJ; his first album was called simply ‘John Pantry’. He also ran his own company producing a variety of advertising jingles. But through increasing contact with Christian musicians including Parchment’s Light up the fire which he produced, John became a Christian. His secular work then ‘just seemed to fold up…the phones stopped ringing.’ This was a difficult time; in the 1970s he worked with the Christian record company Eyes and Ears. A year in California with Maranatha Music was followed by his first solo Christian album in 1978. Now settled with his family in Colchester, Essex, he trained at Oak Hill College (DipTh 1993) and was ordained (CofE non-stipendiary) in that year. His present work includes Christian radio, gospel concerts, ministry with Scripture Union and leading seminars, workshops and missions in churches, schools and prisons. He has a regular weekday breakfast slot on London’s ‘Premier Radio’ hosting the daily ‘Inspirational Breakfast’ programme and providing a devotional ‘Closer to God’, and his songs have featured in Spring Harvest collections; one is in MP (1997 edn, no.594). In 2009, 17 of his new songs and choral pieces were published in God of the Empty Space. Nos.752, 1185.