Welcome to the Grace for All daily devotional podcast, produced by the people of First United Methodist Church in Maryville Tennessee. We are glad to have you with us. Today we are starting a new series of episodes we are calling “Songs of the Spirit.” Throughout the month of May, we will be highlighting stories from our personal lives, from scriptures, and from historical records that show the importance of music and song In our Journey of faith. We Methodists love music and hymns, and we love to sing and make music. We hope these episodes will demonstrate that love and also the love that we feel toward all who listen.

In July of 1725, a young man named John was born in London, England. His mother brought him up in the Christian faith, but she died when he was seven years old. By the age of 11, John was regularly accompanying his father, a merchant ship captain at sea.

He was pressed into service in the Royal Navy at age 18 where he quickly became a problem. After attempting to desert his post, he was placed on a passing slave ship and ended up a slave himself in west Africa. He escaped and became a mate on a slave ship, and eventually became a master navigator.

The faith John's mother instilled in him had long since waned, but on one fateful voyage it came back to him as he was steering a near-foundering ship through a fierce storm. Although he continued his career in the slave trade after his conversion, his emerging faith combined with failing health compelled him to end his career at sea.

He became an Anglican clergyman and served a congregation for over forty years. He also became an outspoken abolitionist and was a force behind the eventual abolition of slavery in England.

Later, John began to write the story of his life. Along with the poet William Cowper, he began to write hymns. For his New Year's Day sermon in 1773, John Newton wrote a song as a complement to the message:

Perhaps remembering his conversion while at sea, he wrote:

God did marvelous things in John Newton's life. God's grace rescued him and worked salvation for him. My entire hope for the future, as well as my source of peace, is that amazing grace that God grants - the Grace that put Jesus Christ on the cross for all of us.

It is because of that Grace that we can all confidently sing the last verse:

Father, thank you for your grace. Thank you for loving us enough to provide the grace that works salvation for all those who receive it. Amen

This devotion was written and read by Cliff McCartney.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no...