Dangers and deliverance

I woke up this morning around 4:30. My wife heard me rustling around and got up and made some coffee. I picked up my guitar and started playing Amazing Grace. She walked over and joined me on her keyboard. We played all stanzas. It may not have won us a spot on American Idol, but I am sure it was sweet music to God’s ears.

The man who wrote that song was John Newton, a self-proclaimed wretch who in his own words once was lost but then was found, saved by amazing grace. Newton had been an infidel, scurrilous character, and a slave trader. He went into the Navy and deserted due to the bad conditions on board. He was re-captured and publicly flogged. He ended up on a slave ship where he was brutally abused as a servant of a slave trader. He rescued a captain of another ship at sea and thereby became a captain on his own slave ship.

I visited a museum in Key West Florida recently that had several artifacts from one of the slave ships on display. It was disgusting to see how inhumane they were treated. They were chained below the deck in masse. The slave traders took advantage of every nook and cranny below deck and chained large numbers of slaves together beneath the deck. No doubt many of them did not make the brutal trip to North America alive. No doubt Newton later regretted being a part of this nasty business and I am sure he thought of it often throughout the rest of his life.

Although he had some early religious instruction from his mother, who had died when he was a child, he had long since given up any religious convictions. However, on a homeward voyage, while he was attempting to steer the ship through a violent storm, he experienced what he was to refer to later as his “great deliverance.” He recorded in his journal that when all seemed lost and the ship would surely sink, he exclaimed, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” Later in his cabin he reflected on what he had said and began to believe that God had addressed him through the storm and that grace had begun to work for him.

For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary of his conversion, a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. He wrote: “Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” He did continue in the slave trade for a time after his conversion; however, he saw to it that the slaves under his care were treated humanely

He later became a minister and preached to packed auditoriums. He wrote what I believe to be the greatest gospel song ever written, Amazing Grace, and some other songs. He died in London, infidel turned minister in the Church of England. He was secure in his faith that amazing grace would lead him home. I look forward to hearing him sing it in heaven one day.

How about these lyrics?

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Will grace lead you home? All we have to do is subject our will to the higher power of Jesus Christ as Newton did to find peace, happiness and to have Him “lead us home”. It does not matter how bad we are or what we have done, God’s grace can clean us up. That truly is amazing

2 Cor. 12:9
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for My strength is made perfect in
weakness.”