God's Grace

We’ve heard the song “Amazing Grace” so many times that it has become a cliché to many. It’s often played at funerals and for coverage of solemn events. But the back-story of the creation of Amazing Grace is, itself, amazing. It was May 10th 1748 that the song’s author, John Newton (1725 - 1807), credits as the day he was inspired by providence to write what is one of the most beloved hymns in the world.

Newton was an unlikely candidate to write hymns. He was a slave trader for years, both as a sailor and eventually as a captain of his own ship.

The moment of his inspiration came while sailing home from one such slaving journey. A brutal storm hit his ship and, despite all efforts, the ship began taking on water. Newton left the main deck to return to his quarters. A moment later, the sailor who replaced him on deck was swept overboard and lost. Convinced there was nothing more they could do to save the ship, he retired to his quarters, and in a moment of release that can be understood only by those facing imminent death, accepted whatever fate lay ahead, asking only, “Lord, have mercy upon us.”

Amazingly, the ship held together and it was then he came to the conclusion that God had personally addressed his request and saw the ship through the storm. Later, when they found land, they docked for repairs only to be told the ship would likely not have stayed together more than a day due to all the storm damage.

Newton would eventually renounce the slave trade and become an abolitionist and minister. In addition to his preaching, he would also write hymns. One of the first works was what we now know as “Amazing Grace”, actually written sometime between 1760 and 1770. Though at least a decade had passed, he still remembered vividly the event that he referred to as his “deliverance” as he wrote:

Some additional facts about the song:

• An additional stanza was incorrectly attributed to the song by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin. But the verse became so popular it’s been left in.
• The song was translated into Cherokee by Samual Worcester and was sung by tribe members as they were forced along the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee version of Amazing Grace is still a popular song within the Cherokee nation as a way to pay respect to loved ones who have passed.
• Though the song was pretty much forgotten in Europe for over a century, it remained popular in America and was adopted by the pop culture when folk music legend Judy Collins recorded an a capella version with a men’s choir.
• Through the years, the song has become a metaphor for so many forms of grace and can be adapted to each person’s private moment of deliverance. Amazing Grace has been recorded and performed by more artists and genres than just about any other song.
• This live performance, by II Divo, is one of the finest I’ve ever experienced and is a fitting tribute to a hymn written by a man humbled before the power of Grace.
• In 2006, a must see movie named Amazing Grace was released.
• Finally, in regards to his recording of the song for the 2006 movie Chris Tomlin said “I wanted to keep the hymn exactly the way it was, as much as I could, with the heart of what I feel like John Newton was writing,”

I have only scratched the surface on this remarkable story and song. I encourage everyone to refer to the links included above. Also I would love to hear from you. Tell us how this song or how God’s amazing grace has affected your story.

Grace and Peace,

dave