John Newton and the Mercy That Would Not Let Him Go

In March 1748, a young sailor named John Newton clung to the rigging of the HMS Greyhound as waves tore across the deck off the coast of Ireland. For years he had mocked faith, cursed God openly, and traded in human lives without remorse. But that night, with the ship breaking apart beneath him, Newton cried out to the Almighty for mercy.

God answered. The storm relented. Newton survived.

Yet within months, he was back at the slave trade, back to his old cruelties. He would later admit that his repentance had been little more than panic dressed in prayer. When the next crisis struck, he called on God again. And again, the Most High was merciful.

This pattern repeated for years — Newton turning to God in desperation, then drifting back into indifference once the danger passed. His lips honored God during the storm while his heart remained anchored to the world.