John Newton is widely known for being one of the most powerful evangelical preachers in British history. He is also credited with being the author of hundreds of hymns, including the very famous, “Amazing Grace”. It was well into Mr. Newton's life, however, that he came to the realization of God’s Amazing Grace.

John was about seven years old when his mother died. She had been a godly woman, devoted to praying for her son and nurturing him in God’s Word. She had made sure that John memorized Scripture and taught him the words to many hymns, as her greatest prayer was for John to become a minister. By the time John was teenager, all his mother’s words were near forgotten. John became a sailor at a very young age and soon picked up the bad habits and lack of manners that were known of the men in this trade; but John had a reputation of profanity, coarseness, and debauchery that shocked even the ripest sailors. John had neglected his mother’s teachings and certainly led others to unbelief. Then, on the night of March 9, 1748, John was awoken by a brutal storm that came on too suddenly for the crew to prepare, causing major damage to the ship. The storm at sea continued thrashing the ship around for over a week leaving the men with little chance of survival. During this time, as John saw his 23 years coming to an end, he began to have memories of scripture long forgotten. As those memories became clearer, those scriptures began to come at him like the waves. He remembered Proverbs 1:24-31: “"Because I have called, and ye refused . . . ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also laughed at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh: when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer." His thoughts began to turn toward Christ and his grace, oh, that grace! He later wrote: "On that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters" and the words we all know so well “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me!”² John now understood God’s Grace, and how, though undeserving, that Amazing Grace covered his sins with the power of Christ’s blood.

When we think that we’ve fallen out of God’s grace because of the great measure of our sin, it is in that moment that Christ reaches down His hand to save our poor wretched selves and remind us that it is by His Amazing Grace that we are saved. (Eph. 2:8)

Suggested prayer: Dear Loving Heavenly Father, you are so good to me. Lord, during my lowest times you never cease to come to my rescue. So many times, I have fallen short of your grace and yet your loving hand is always waiting to pull me back to you. Please forgive me for taking that for granted. Help me to be worthy of your ultimate sacrifice and that with my life bring others to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. Ephesians 1:7

2. “Then Sings My Soul” By Robert J. Morgan 2003, John Newton - The Story of Discovering Amazing Grace (christianity.com)