THE POWER OF MUSIC
«(He) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved» (Ephesians 2:5, NIV).
John Newton was born in London in 1725. His mother died shortly before he turned seven. He grew up without solid religious training. His father, a rough sea captain, took him out to sea when he was eleven years old. After many voyages and an alcoholic adolescence, Newton entered England s Royal Navy. He tried to desert, but he was flogged 96 times and his rank was lowered.
He served in a slave ship for many years. Once when he was sailing back home, the ship was caught in a terrible storm near the coast of Ireland and almost sank Newton prayed to God and the shipment was miraculously preserved. He took that as a sign that the Almighty was with him and marked that day as the day of his conversion to Christianity. His lifestyle didn’t radically change; his transformation was more gradual. He began to read the Bible and started considering slaves with greater sympathy.
He continued to work in the slave trade for a few more years, but then he retired to study theology. He was ordained as an Anglican priest and wrote 280 hymns to accompany his services. «Amazing grace» was written in 1772. He published an article when he gave up his job as a seafaring slave trader. He mentioned it would always be a topic that would make him tremble, but God’s grace was a topic he would always sing about.
Many versions and interpretations of this hymn have been made. I invite you to look some of them up and listen to them, meditating on the lyrics.
Your story is probably very different from Newton ‘s, but maybe today you can think of times in which God’s grace was made manifest in your life.
The apostle John, known as the «son of thunder,» also underwent a transformation. «Such transformation of character as is seen in the life of John is ever the result of communion with Christ. There may be marked defects in the character of an individual, yet when he becomes a true disciple of Christ, the power of divine grace transforms and sanctifies him. Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, he is changed from glory to glory, until he is like Him whom he adores» (The Acts of the Apostles, ch. 55, p. 559). Amazing grace!
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Daily Devotions for Youth 2021
«TAGS TO MAKE YOU THINK
BY: CAROLINA RAMOS»
Collaborators: Misael Morillo & Angelica Cuate
