Nothing is Impossible with God
How God’s Amazing Grace is Way Bigger Than Our Sins
Have you ever committed a sin so bad that it made you question if you’re beyond redemption? It’s when you believe even God couldn’t possibly forgive you.
For your solution, let’s ditch the usual cliches and look back 300 years at a renegade named John Newton – someone famous, whose name you’ll soon remember.
Newton was a foul mouthed, hard-core atheist and slave trader. He was so vulgar that when he was 18 years old, the British Navy stripped him to his waist and flogged him with 96 lashes in front of 350 men. But that didn’t break him, and by the time he was 20 years old he was so despised by his shipmates that the slave ship he was on dumped him in Africa where he became a slave himself.
Years later, after being rescued by another slave ship, Wikipedia says, “Newton gained notoriety as being one of the most profane men his captain had ever met.” Imagine being around someone with such a filthy mouth who mocked and openly ridiculed God.
His life changed when he found himself in the cold water of the North Atlantic Ocean in the storm of his life. As the ship struggled in the storm, a huge wave swept a crew member overboard – right where Newton had been standing only a few moments before. Newton tied himself to the ship’s pump to prevent from being washed overboard and for the next 13 hours fought to pump water, steer the ship, and to stay alive. And it was here, that Newton gave himself to God.
Now let’s compare you to John Newton, the foul mouthed, God denouncing, whip me until I’m almost dead, slave trader. Just consider that these horrible traits are just the most noteworthy bad things about him. I’ll bet if we saw how he mistreated the slaves, or heard what he said, we would shutter in dismay.
But Wikipedia continues to say, “John Newton’s memory of saying, “Lord have mercy upon us!” uttered during a moment of desperation in the storm did not leave him and he began to ask if he was worthy of God’s mercy or in any way redeemable.”
In other words, Newton wondered if he was even forgivable, worth saving, or usable by God? And isn’t this the same struggle we have when we feel it would be impossible for God to forgive us? When we are so ashamed or feel so worthless or lost?
In the years that followed, Newton slowly grew in his faith and eventually became a pastor and leading abolitionist to end slave trading. But notice that it took years and effort, a deep desire for God to grow inside him, and there was no magic “change-me” pill that he swallowed.
Amazingly, God used Newton’s worst experience of his life, and his ultimate transformation changed the lives of millions of Africans destined for slavery. Today his song inspires us with these words:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
John Newton once said, “I see no reason the Lord singled me out for mercy…unless it was to show that with him nothing is impossible.”
It’s interesting that an angel told the virgin Mary the same words when she found herself pregnant, “Nothing is impossible for God” (Lk 1:37)! And 30 years later, when Jesus talked to his disciples about who could be saved, he said it again, “All things are possible with God” (Mk 10:27).
See, it doesn’t matter what you’ve said or done, because nothing is impossible with our God who raised Jesus from the dead. His amazing grace is bigger than your sins. His love for you is stronger than your despair. His forgiveness is ready for you to have if you will just accept it.
Let’s pray: “Dear Jesus, thank you for saving a wretch like me. Wretches like us. Thank you for forgiving us. We ask you to be our God, our King who rules over our lives. Please transform us to be the people you want us to be. To be people who can learn to forgive others. In your mighty name, Jesus! Amen.”
