"John Newton (1725–1801) was a militant atheist, bully and blasphemer. He was a wild and angry young man. He was press-ganged into the Navy at the age of eighteen where he broke the rules so recklessly that he was publicly flogged for desertion. He was hated and feared by his crewmates and himself became a slave trader.
At the age of twenty-three Newton’s ship encountered a severe storm off the coast of Donegal and almost sank. He called out to God as the ship filled with water and on that day, 10 March 1748, God rescued him. He began a new life. He started to pray and read the Bible. Eventually he joined William Wilberforce in the campaign to abolish the slave trade and became a leading light in that campaign.
Newton is best known as the author of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’:
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now I’m found,
Was blind, but now I see.
To be rescued is to be saved, set free, delivered from danger, attack or harm. Jesus is the one who rescues us.
Psalm 73:15-28
Rescued from the slippery slope
Have you ever experienced the slippery slope of sin? You find yourself slipping further and further down a path that you do not really want to be on.
We saw two days ago how the psalmist found himself on the slippery slope of envy. ‘As for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked’ (73:2–3).
Your whole perspective changes when you enter ‘the sanctuary of God’ (v.17a). ‘Then, I understood their final destiny’ (v.17b). It is the arrogant and wicked who are on ‘slippery ground’ (v.18). Although they may seem outwardly successful and prosperous, they are on a road that leads to destruction (vv.19–20).
The psalmist realised that he was rescued from going down that same slippery path. He repented: ‘When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you’ (vv.21–22).
Although outwardly the ‘ungodly’ may be enviable, when you get a proper perspective, you realise how almost unbelievably blessed you are (vv.23–26).
There is nothing that compares to walking in a relationship with God, knowing his presence, his guidance and his strength, and his promise that he will take you into glory. You are far better off than the ‘ungodly’, both in this life and in the future.
When you see what you have been rescued from, you realise how good it is to be near God, and you want to pass the good news on to others:
‘But I’m in the very presence of God –
oh, how refreshing it is!
I’ve made Lord God my home.
God, I’m telling the world what you do!’ (v.28, MSG).
Lord, please rescue me from the slippery slope. Thank you that there is nothing like the sense of your presence with me – you holding me with your right hand. Thank you that you promise to guide me with your counsel and afterwards take me into glory."
1. Thank You for Your unending guidance, may I always listen to You.
2. Thank You for opportunities of improvement and growth in terms of public speaking.
3. Thank You for the vibrant life after work.
