History

Finding its place among some of the most well known and well loved hymns of all time, John Newton’s Amazing Gracetells the story of God’s overwhelming grace, which is by itself a powerful story. But when taken in the context of Newton’s own quite powerful testimony, the story it tells is magnified many times over.

By the age of ten, Newton had already lost his mother to tuberculosis, was sent to a boarding school where he was mistreated, and from there was sent to live with his father’s new wife with whom he did not have a great relationship. During this time Newton’s father was a shipping merchant in the Mediterranean service and was often absent as well.

By the age of eleven, Newton joined his father as an apprentice in the shipping trade. This would begin Newton’s long and painful walk with all manner of depravity.

During his time on a ship, Newton, meeting with a fellow sailor, renounced his faith entirely.

Not long after, Newton’s time with the Royal Navy began as he was pressed into service in 1743. During this time, Newton attempted to desert the Navy which resulted in a very public and humiliating punishment.

As time marched on in his naval service, Newton transferred to another ship bound for West Africa. However, it wouldn’t be long before Newton’s unruly behavior led to consequences aboard the ship. As a result of mocking the captain, Newton was locked up like the slaves they were transporting, almost starved to death, and enslaved on an English plantation in Sierra Leone.

Eventually, the captain of a trading ship found and rescued Newton. Aboard the ship, the captain noted Newton’s particularly poor image. Ship crews had a rightful reputation of being some pretty rough figures, but Newton managed to use language that would truly “make a sailor blush.” It was aboard this ship, however, that the tides of Newton’s life would finally turn.

Along the journey, the ship was met by a fearsome storm in the Atlantic. During this storm, Newton, working frantically alongside the crew to make sure the boat did not capsize, cried out “If this will not do, then Lord have mercy upon us!”

The crew survived, and as life continued on, Newton continued to consider his plea to God. As Newton contemplated what he had endured, his conclusion was that it must have been divine intervention.

As time wore on, Newton continued to consume Christian literature and further reform himself. By 1756 he had taken a new position in England and began teaching himself theology, as well as Greek and Latin, and began to pursue a place as clergy in the Church of England.

He was eventually ordained and began to oversee a small parish in Olney. It was during this time that Newton, along with his co-author William Cowper wrote the words to this classic poem which has become a beloved hymn for so many.

Devotion

Who among us can’t look back on the time when we weren’t among Christ’s redeemed and recoil in horror? How often do we look back on the sin and shame that we walked through and wonder how He ever loved us? That same sin keeps us ensnared in its deadly grips, unable to see the horrors that lie before us.

But all at once, when Christ enters our lives, our eyes are opened to the sinful path that we walked, and we are set free from our former lives, and able to sing along with Newton, “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see”

This is the beauty of the Gospel.

There is nothing else to it. Christ gave all of himself to purchase your freedom. And he requires nothing in return but your faithfulness; it is by his grace alone that we are saved.

He doesn’t keep a scorecard.

He won’t remind you of your imperfections or past transgressions.

When he saved you, He did so with great foresight and intentionality, knowing that you would sin, knowing that you would turn from Him. But He showed His great grace, and laid down his life for you anyway. You were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV).

All throughout this hymn, this is the cry of Newton. He recognized that his past self was a wretch. He knew that he had spent his life engaged in the foulest levels of sin and debauchery. But he also knew what amazing grace had saved him. And that is the story he told. He didn’t spend line after line lamenting his former self, but he sang praises to God for setting him free.

Maybe today you’re struggling with the thought of who you used to be.

Maybe you wonder how He could love someone with your past.

Remember that He doesn’t hold your past against you, and neither should you. He doesn’t have a list of expectations that you have to meet before you’re worthy. He died for you knowing exactly who you would be and what you would do.

Or maybe you gave your life to Christ long before the many snares of this world took hold of you, and you don't have that stark contrast that Newton and so many others have. In this case, praise Him all the more! You were rescued just the same as every other sinner, but before the grips of this world could take hold of you. He saved you from a sinful past by keeping you from it altogether.

Whatever your situation, spend some time today reflecting on God’s grace. Remember that He died for you long before you were born, knowing exactly who you would turn out to be. And despite who you were, He still requires nothing from you but your heart.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 146, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Lyrics

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved 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 relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

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

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, 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 called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.