“Grace Greater Than Our Sin” - Julia H. Johnston

1849–1919

History shines its spotlight on the people in charge, the movers and shakers. But observers of Christian history need to be aware of the upside-down phenomenon. Jesus repeatedly said that the first shall be last. True leaders are those who serve. And the ones who are actually setting the tone for the church are not necessarily the preachers and prophets, but often the Sunday school teachers, custodians, and secretaries.

Take Julia H. Johnston, who lived in Peoria, Illinois, quietly serving the Lord in various ways. Over the years, she taught Sunday school, worked in a church office, led a missions agency, and wrote curriculum for other church teachers to use. Oh, yes—she also wrote words for hundreds of hymns. Most of these lyrics are long forgotten, but one of her hymns has become a favorite: “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.”

In 1911, when this hymn came out, evangelistic meetings were common. D. L. Moody had dominated the late 1800s with his services of powerful preaching and heart-tugging music, and he inspired a pack of followers to carry the tradition into the new century. So “Grace Greater Than Our Sin,” put to music by Moody Bible Institute songsmith Daniel B. Towner, met a ready market. It’s a hymn of invitation, calling people to receive God’s grace. No matter how immense our sin, God can forgive it. As Julia expressed it, the “crimson tide” of Jesus’ blood can cleanse the “stain that we cannot hide.” Her text, anchored in New Testament theology, was emotionally appealing to lost souls.

But God’s grace doesn’t just save us; it empowers us. The Bible describes various gifts of God’s grace showered upon the followers of Jesus. That means we don’t have to sit around and wait for D. L. Moody or Billy Sunday or Billy Graham to make things happen. God has gifted us, all of us, and we can put our gifts together to do his work in the world. Whether teaching a class or organizing mission work, Julia Johnston used the gifts God had graced her with, and she left us a song we’re still singing. That’s how grace works. As Christians, we write history not merely with headlines but with day-to-day faithfulness.

How are you going to make history today?

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.

Romans 12:6