October 26, 2017 (Thursday)
This blog plays the music of a grand old hymn by John Newton (1725-1807), but displays the words, so that we may concentrate on the message itself. A second video follows it, presenting a vocal rendition.
Newton was taught the scriptures by his mother, who died when he was only seven years old. His father was a seafaring man who took his son with him to serve on ships. It was a hard life and it hardened John Newton, who at one time served as a virtual slave, experiencing maltreatment that included cruel floggings. He later became captain of a slave ship, and turned away from God. But God brought him back to Himself, and he became a minister as well as a prolific writer of hymns and other works. Among his many, many hymns is “Amazing Grace.”
This hymn is an example of the type of songs he wrote, showing us the great love he had for the Lord Jesus Christ, a love that all of us are invited to have in our own hearts.
Hear the hymn sung by NCrew accompanied by acoustic guitar: