Beloved,
Below are the reflections of a past saint, John Newton, once the slave trader, and by his own witness a partaker in many evils, Newton heard the Gospel message and began the process of sanctification which produced in him many noteworthy works. Hymns of praise including “Amazing Grace” and a life dedicated to correcting (as much as was in him by the grace of God) those evils which at first appealed to his sinful nature and then later caused him grave concern and deep conviction. He understood the frailty of human flesh, openly regarded himself a chief sinner, and looked to encourage the Children of God away from self-despair, and toward the true light of life and liberty as it is found in Christ Jesus our living LORD!
He was well acquainted with the temptations and struggles associated with daily dying again, and as the following Diary entry shares, understood wherein his and every Christian’s hope is to be found. May we all see our failures and short comings as the necessity which is reveals, a lack of self-ability to accomplish anything good in and of ourselves, and total dependence on our Risen Saviour, Christ Jesus!
A link to more of this writings is attached to his name at the bottom of the email.
But my eye and my heart are to Jesus!
January 1, 1773
This is the ninth New Year’s day I have seen in this church. I have reason to say, ‘The Lord crowns every year with His goodness!’ The entrance of this year finds me and my dear Mary in health and peace. I am still favored with strength, and with some liberty for my pastoral work, and hope the Lord is still pleased to work by me—for the edification of His people, and the awakening of lost sinners.
As to myself . . .
my exercise of grace is faint,
my consolations small,
my heart is full of evil,
my chief burdens are, a wild ungoverned imagination, and a strange sinful backwardness to reading the Scriptures, and to secret prayer.
These have been my complaints for many years, and I have no less cause of complaint than formerly. But my eye and my heart are to Jesus! His I am; Him I desire to serve; to Him this day, I would devote and surrender myself anew.
O Lord, accept, support, protect, teach, comfort and bless me. Be . . .
my Arm,
my Eye,
my Joy and
my Salvation.
Mortify the power of sin—and increase the image of Your holiness in my heart. Anoint me with fresh oil, make me humble, faithful, diligent and obedient. Let me in all things attend . . .
to Your Word as my rule,
to Your glory as my end, and
depend upon Your power and promise for my safety and success.
I am now in the 49th year of my life, and may expect in the course of a few years at most—to go whence I shall no more return; nor have I a certainty of continuing here a single year—or even a month or a day! May Your grace keep me always until my appointed change shall come, and when the summons shall come—may I be enabled to rejoice in You, as the strength of my heart and my portion forever!
“You guide me with Your counsel, and afterwards You will take me up in glory. Whom do I have in heaven but You? And I desire nothing on earth but You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever!” Psalm 73:24-26
from the Diary of John Newton
#RCUSdevotionals
