But today I changed my mind, at least for this hymn. Rick and I recently watched "Amazing Grace," the story of William Wilberforce, the tenacious English politician who brought the British slave trade to an end in 1807. He sought spiritual counsel from and Anglican minister named, John Newton. Mr. Newton wrote "Amazing Grace."
John Newton was a slave trader, but in the midst of terrible storm called out to God and experienced His Amazing Grace. It took years before his faith grew to a point where he quit slave trading and entered the priesthood. Later he joined the abolitionist movement with William Wilburforce.
So as we are singing "Sublime Gracia" this morning, I looked around as young and old sang with eyes closed swaying slightly. Could it be that someone here has anscestors who were brought by John Newton himself? How amazing would grace be that the descendents of so many Africans that he cruelly abused for profit are now praising God using the hymn he wrote?!
It is highly unlikely that in our little church this morning there was a descendant of the slaves Mr. Newton trafficked. But still, somewhere this morning some descendent of those slaves sung God's praises and that is pretty amazing. It's amazing that the ocean of God's grace can cover such a sinner as John Newton. It is amazing that the river of God's grace can flow down generations from colonial slave to free Caribbeans. It is amazing that the fountain of God's grace can renew each of us sinners day by day.
