10 Amazing things about grace according to John Newton

After John Russell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Amazing grace and amazing things about it, according to John Newton. It

1. Saves wretches - that saved a wretch like me!
2. Brings back the lost - I once was lost, but now am found,
3. Heals the blind - was blind, but now I see.
4. Brings about conviction of sin - 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
5. Comforts us - and grace my fears relieved;
6. Sustains us - Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come: 'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
7. Brings us to heaven - and grace will lead me home.
8. Is revealed in the Word - his word my hope secures;
9. Is guaranteed by God - he will my shield and portion be as long as life endures
10. Secures heaven for us - Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease: I shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine; but God, who called me here below, will be forever mine

Day off Week 37

At the start of the day I saw a pair of canvas boots I've not worn much over the summer. I then walked over 12000 steps with the dog which was good. had a coffee in Highgate adn did the puzzles.

I managed to read another good book this week, another nice hardback, beautifully produced by Ligonier. This was Sinclair Ferguson's By grace alone. He works his way through the hymn How the grace of God amazes me by E T Sibomona a verse at a time. Some familiar themes arise, like the Prodigal son and Romans 6 and so on, but also Ephesians 6 and Job. I was really refreshed by the book and was once again amazed by grace, the purpose of the book. It's not a new book. It came out in 2007. Worth checking out though.

I also read a chunk of a novel (Penelope Fitzgerald's first The golden child). Very well observed and quite funny.

Listened to music this week. Lots of Bob Dylan. Watched TV in the evening with Eleri. Dipped into her Strictly adn Bake off and then watched the first in a new drama series Strangers.

Chris Squire death

We hear that Chris Squire the bassist from Yes has died aged 67.

Christian Acrostics 04 GRACE

God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense

The Film about Wilberforce

So I finally got to see 'Amazing Grace' last night. Many thoughts went through my head as I watched what is a good film - interesting, well made, true to the spirit of its chosen subject.

I thought of Chariots of Fire and how excited we were, but I was young then. It's still good to see a positive film about an evangelical Christian, however, even if they don't get it quite right (with him or with Newton - powerful but ultimately inaccurate portrayal). A lot of dramatic licence is used as in CoF (where the attractive hurdling nobleman is a pure figment of the imagination) - Amazing Grace to the familiar tune, the black gentleman he never met, etc. I think I understand why that is necessary better than I did in the past. Then there is the counterpart (a la Harold Abrahams) with Pitt and Thomas Clarkson, so we don't forget what good sorts humanists (moderate and extreme) are too. Scenes like the one where it is made clear how pro-American Wilberforce was and the gratuitous use of Scots guards playing the AG tune outside Westminster Abbey at the very end grated slightly but we need to live in the real world and at least when we talk about Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect people will have some idea of what we are talking about.

All the way through I couldn't help thinking about the abortion trade, the scandal of our own age. The parallels between the two have long been apparent to me. Seeing the valiant efforts they made and the constant defeats they knew and the sort of bedfellows one has to make to get anything done in Parliament was rather dispiriting in some ways but if God gave them victory in the end, surely we have hope too.

Amazing Grace

As Ioan Gruffudd is starring I thought this might make a good Gwyl Ddewi post (St David's Day). The film gets its premiere here in the UK on Friday 23 March 2007. this trailer lasts 2':30".