Let God Heal Your Soul

Resting Together

The promises of God about healing the ways we think, feel and act are numerous in the Bible and even more numerous in real life. As John Newton wrote in Amazing Grace, "I once was lost and now I am found; was blind and now I see."

It took a long time after receiving Christ for Newton to get his eyes opened so he saw just how evil the slave trade in which he was a key factor was. He had been a professing Christian for years before God's Holy Spirit got hold of him and convicted him of the sin of selling men and women as if they were cattle.

But Newton did see the light. He did repent and now he is known as a hero of the faith because his testimony has been sung multiplied millions of times. Amazing Grace is the most often recorded song by the most different array of singers, bands and orchestras in history. why? Why are people so infatuated by those words? why are they so powerful that they almost always bring tears to our eyes when we hear it played?

The text and the tune are both powerful. The text is all about getting a second chance or a third or a fourth. No matter how big and strong we are another chance looks good to us because we know our weaknesses and frailties. Some preachers think we need to confront people with their sins. they think too many modern churches have "Watered down the gospel" by offering God's love and grace too much.

I disagree. In my 40 or so years of counseling I have rarely met anyone who was not aware of their weaknesses. That awareness might be so painful and shameful; that they will refuse to look at it fully, but they know they are sinners. They know they have missed the marks in life. They know they need amazing grace but they may NOT know it has a sweet sound. In fact, the preaching they heard was overly strong on the ages of sin and not too much on the wages of grace.

So, John Newton was evidently writing to himself. He knew he was a sinner with an evil heart. He had used female slaves sexually and abused all of them. He had made money off breaking human hearts. Thankfully, God's grace broke in and he tasted the sweet candy of forgiveness and a clean heart.

What is bugging you? Do you need a big dose of God's grace and love? If so, take your medicine. A spoon full of grace will make that medicine go down. Go to God and agree with Him about your needs. He already knows all about your sin so get rid of it immediately.


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