How can we earn God's healing and mercy?

Tune: Helmsley ("Lo! He comes with clouds descending")

This was written for the 11am service at Kentwood Methodist Church on February 15th 2009. The readings were 2 Kings 5:1-14 and Mark 1:40-45 and the theme was God's free and unearnable grace, and our free (but appropriate) response to it.

The form of the lyrics differs from "Lo! He comes..." in two ways. Firstly only lines 2, 4 and 6 rhyme; in the original lines 1 and 3 rhymed in the last two syllables. This "breakage" is simply due to my lack of skill. The second form is in the last verse, where line 5 is not just the same phrase three times (as elsewhere) but three different expressions of life in Christ. This one was entirely deliberate, partly to surprise a congregation who may think they know what to expect having started the line.

1. How can we earn God's healing and mercy?
What's the cost, the price to pay?
How many acts of penitence are needed:
Bribes in advance, to stave off judgement day?
Grace is priceless; grace is priceless; grace is priceless!
God has found another way.

2. Only Christ can grant us salvation.
Only Christ: the God we crucified.
Love without limit; love all embracing;
Through love's gift our sin has died.
Free for all! Free for all! Free for all!
Man, through Jesus, justified.

3. Then, with our healing bountifully given
Ask again: what should our actions be?
Not as a payment, not as a balance,
But responding; also free.
Live in service; live in worship; live for others.
All our deeds must honour Thee.

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