He is a song writer – one that has written songs that much of the English speaking world knows and sings. He is a pastor – and served two churches in his lifetime. He was an abolitionist, and was a key influencer of William Wilberforce who led the abolition movement in England.
But earlier, he served in the Royal Navy and after his service, he continued in maritime vocation, he eventually rose in the ranks to captain of a ship. Not just any trade – but worked, and then captained, many a slave ship. And as one in the slave trade … responsible for the bondage and death of many.
John Newton – Pastor, sea captain, reformed slave trader … Author of the famous hymn Amazing Grace.
As a sailor and sea captain, he is quite familiar with storms. However, his life was one filled with spiritual, relational, and physical storms. The life-changing storm took place one late winter on the ship Greyhound. This storm was a major blow. Woken from slumber by a wave of water that rushed through the hull-side wall of his cabin, he headed on to deck. On the ladder going up, the captain yelled at him to go below to grab a knife. He stopped and turned around. Another wave struck the ship and washed a fellow sailor overboard, the sailor right in front him, the sailor who was standing were he would’ve been had he not turned around.
The night went on, more lives lost, and some close calls for Newton himself. In the storm, Newton cried for the lord to have mercy. Have mercy. This simple cry, out of a need of self-preservation, was one that changed Newton’s trajectory.
Newton comments that he was stunned at the fact he declared those words. The concept of mercy, justice, sin, punishment began to rattle in his brain. If he survived, did God chose to save him? And if so, why?
Through the night, he manned the pump and wheel. but the storm wasn’t the only thing on his mind. He thought of the times his mother took him to church, the sermons from the rector, the chapel at Wapping.
After the storm, it was weeks of hunger, heat, and constant bailing of water. The situation was dire. The captain looked at Newton and claimed John was the sole cause of the calamity. “You are the Jonah that has brought this horror upon us.”
27 days of disaster. A storm that destroyed the ship. Relational storms that destroyed connections. But this storm … this time of disaster … was also one that drew John Newton back to God
27 days of desperation. After they reached land, the captain told Newton that maybe Newton wasn’t Jonah after all. Maybe he brought them good luck.
“No,” said John. “Not I. There is a God who hears and answers prayers. That is why was are alive today. Not through our own strength, but his great mercy.”
27 days that changed a life. From that storm, Newton began a journey that would … fight the abolitionist cause, minister to hurting and needy, preach the Word, write hymns that will continue to impact for decades to come. But that change didn’t happen in Newton instantaneously. It would be years and more storms that continued to work in Newtons life.
He watches as close friend struggle with depression (William Cowper). He loses his wife to illness. He becomes blind. And so on.
But the lesson, God demonstrates mercy. And one writer said Newton’s life was a monument to God’s great mercy. You don’t celebrate a monument: you celebrate what it points to.
Today’s lesson … storms can also clean the path along our journey. It can strip away the unnecessary and get our priorities back to where it needs to be.
Today’s lesson … God is a God of mercy, GREAT MERCY.
Today’s lesson … God hears when we cry out for help, even the hardest heart. And the harder the heart, maybe the harder the storm. in Newton’s own words … “Sovereign grace has power alone to subdue a heart of stone; and the moment grace is felt, then the hardest heart will melt.”
POST NOTE: Yesterday, I read an interesting comment. When asked what reason does God have to hate Esau? (Romans 9:13) The bigger question should be … what reason does He have to love Jacob? We hold to His mercy, His AMAZING GRACE.
Muddy Shoes by Todd 
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