“.. God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the GRACE which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago.”
2 Timothy 1:8-9 (RSV)
We are called by virtue of God’s purpose and grace which comes to us through Christ. It’s an amazing concept, and leads us to the story of the man who wrote one of the most timeless and beautiful gospel hymns, Amazing Grace. John Newton was born in England in 1725. His mother died from tuberculosis when he was seven. She was a woman of faith but after she died, he received no further example of faith and grew up with a hardened heart, in pursuit of a thriving career as a slave trader.
In 1748, while working in the slave trade business on the African coast, he was transporting a ship full of slaves one day, when a violent storm arose and severely battered the ship. He watched helplessly as his fellow sailor was washed overboard and died at sea. Convinced that he was about to die next, John called out to God, asking for forgiveness and mercy. It was his first time praying since he was a young child.
Something took hold of his heart through that simple prayer and for the rest of his life, he considered it to be the prayer that touched his soul and changed his life. Years later, as he remembered that prayerful moment, he wrote, “How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.”
After John prayed that prayer, the storm slowed down and his ship arrived safely to its destination, along with all who remained on board. It inspired the lyrics, “Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come.”
John was then promoted as captain over two slave ships, instead of just one, following that journey. Despite having such an epiphany of faith, at that stage of his life, his pride and ambition governed his actions more than the amazing grace and mercy of God did. He continued slave trading for six more years. Later in his life, he looked back and described himself with the lyrics,
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”
After those next six years, his conscience finally led him to repent and quit the slave trade business for good. He became an Anglican minister for the Church of England. He got married and worked tirelessly as an abolitionist, to end slavery altogether. He and his wife had no children of their own, but they adopted his two orphaned nieces. In 1772, he discovered his poetic talent, and wrote many songs and hymns, the best known being “Amazing Grace.”
From the hour he first believed on that storm tossed ship, to the day of his death, John Newton never stopped marveling at the amazing grace that God showed him through every stage of his life. Amazing grace leads a person to surrender their heart to God throughout their lifetime, all the way to the end, which is reflected in his lyrics,
“Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
When his eyesight failed in his old age, John Newton was inspired to write, “I was blind, but now I see.” When his memory began to fail, he told Betsy, his niece, “I always remember two things very clearly, that I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”
Jesus is a great Savior because He stays with us, even when we make bad choices or act in ignorance. John Newton’s life was not much different than most people’s. Our level of commitment to our faith may waver as a result of changing priorities and sorrowful events, but Jesus stands unwavering at the door of our hearts, knocking and gently asking for entry into every room and compartment of our lives.
He does it with an abundance of love, patience, grace and mercy, until we are completely His. The words in the song “Amazing Grace” express more than the journey of John Newton’s heart, but every one of us at the different stages in our journey of grace.
Amazing grace gives us hope for all our loved ones or friends who may be making wrong choices or have closed the door of their heart to God. The Lord can turn any life around to experience His amazing grace in all the ways that the lyrics of the song have described it.
Lord, thank you for your amazing grace, motivated by your love for us and we pray that you give grace to all our friends and loved to discover this beautiful truth about you. Amen
