Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace

“Amazing Grace”—we Americans love this song!  Recently I used this popular song and its local language equivalent “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho” as a springboard to truly understanding “GRACE” at a women’s meeting at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Lilongwe, Malawi. With it we reviewed the theme, “Salvation comes by Grace,” which we had boldly proclaimed in red to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.     

Women love singing in Malawi Lutheran worship services!   My goal was to capitalize on the enthusiasm of singing to further reflect on the amazing truth that God saved us through Jesus.  I directed the 35 women in attendance to divide into 11 groups.  They quickly practiced singing a stanza of the hymn or reading a verse from Psalm 25 aloud.

The participants were well prepared to share their part with the large group.  First, I called forward the group that I assigned the first verse of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace.”  We pondered the question, “What is Grace?”  We discussed how grace “saved me” and how it gave life.  Then I called forward the groups who I assigned to read Psalm 25: 6 and 7.  We discussed how “mercy,” “steadfast love” and “goodness” are the reason why individuals ask the Lord to “remember” them.  We answered the question, “Who am I?” with the song’s description – “a complete sinner.”  The group assigned to read Psalm 25:11 added that we are individuals who need the Lord to “pardon my guilt, for it is great.”

After listening to another group sing stanza 2 of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace,” we pursued the answer to “What has the Lord done?”  In Chichewa we exuberantly exclaimed that “grace removed the fear of death when people believe in the Lord Jesus.”  The groups who read aloud Psalm 25: 7 and 11 connected us to the Lord, “the God of my Salvation.” We pleaded Him “for Your name’s sake” to “pardon” us and to not remember “the sins of…youth or… transgressions.”

Then we pondered, “So, what path do I now want as a Christian?” The group that sang stanza 3 of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace” reminded us that the Lord has cared for us and will continue to care for us until we reach home.  The group that read Psalm 25:8-9 reminded us to stay in the Lord’s truth. We asked that we know His ways and paths given in the Bible.

The group assigned the last stanza of the hymn echoed, “I will sing of His grace at home, praising the Lord in unending time.” But are we “at home with God” only after we die?  The group that read Psalm 25:1 stated, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”  We asked God to “guard my soul, and deliver me” for “I take refuge in You.”  As a grand finale, our voices completely filled the church by singing all four verses of “Chisomo Chodabwitsacho—Amazing Grace.”  With this song study we had a foretaste of praising God our Savior in heaven.  We pray that it reminds us that God’s Word is for all of us to share and reflect on each day on the path home.

Nancy Roebke lives in Lilongwe, Malawi where her husband, Missionary John Roebke serves as the Missionary of Publications

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