Was an English Christian who struggled with manic depression. He was certifiably crazy at times, cycling from ebullient vibrant faith to deep despair and psychotic breaks with reality. During those down times, he was often convinced he had committed the "unpardonable sin" and was destined for eternal damnation. He was often filled with horror, despair, hatred for God and terror. He was in fact, a poster child for the secular accusation that Christianity with its emphasis on the judgment of God is deleterious to mental health and the mark of psychological imbalance.
Fortunately, he had better friends than modern psychologists. John Newton, a profane godless and very wicked man (ex slave trader, who embodied all the cruelty and hate moderns associate with slavery), had also become a Christian. He was a pastor. We know him as the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace." He also spoke on the floor of parliament for the abolishment of the slave trade, much in the same way as Bernard Nathanson spoke to our Congress about the evils of abortion. He was a prominent, busy and eminent Christian. He was also like Jesus, in that the pressing duties and "stuff" that accompanies prominence in the church was unimportant when it came to his friend, who was foundering. Newton would patiently visit, encourage, read and pray with him, continually reminding him of the gospel and the unlimited love of Christ for those whom Christ claimed as his own, and encourage him to latch on to those promises.
Sometimes, he did. Sometimes the clouds broke up and the sun came through, and it was truly glorious. As is the pattern of manic depressives, the glory and the happiness were also off the charts, and he "saw" the love of God and His mercy with an insight that was truly stellar. It was in one of these periods that he wrote these amazing verses:
Fortunately, he had better friends than modern psychologists. John Newton, a profane godless and very wicked man (ex slave trader, who embodied all the cruelty and hate moderns associate with slavery), had also become a Christian. He was a pastor. We know him as the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace." He also spoke on the floor of parliament for the abolishment of the slave trade, much in the same way as Bernard Nathanson spoke to our Congress about the evils of abortion. He was a prominent, busy and eminent Christian. He was also like Jesus, in that the pressing duties and "stuff" that accompanies prominence in the church was unimportant when it came to his friend, who was foundering. Newton would patiently visit, encourage, read and pray with him, continually reminding him of the gospel and the unlimited love of Christ for those whom Christ claimed as his own, and encourage him to latch on to those promises.
Sometimes, he did. Sometimes the clouds broke up and the sun came through, and it was truly glorious. As is the pattern of manic depressives, the glory and the happiness were also off the charts, and he "saw" the love of God and His mercy with an insight that was truly stellar. It was in one of these periods that he wrote these amazing verses:
- There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains. - The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in His day;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away:
Washed all my sins away,
Washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away. - Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more:
Are safe, to sin no more,
Are safe, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more. - E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die. - When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.
Here is a link to a truly beautiful rendition of this. Hope it helps you worship this a.m., and to remember that God "helps" us in our weakness, but often does not remove it. He helps us THROUGH it, and not OUT of it.
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