A Repentant Heart

Captain Joseph Bates was sailing the ship Empress from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to Rio de Janeiro. When he went to choose a book to read, he discovered that his wife had put a copy of the New Testament on the top of the other books in his trunk. He began reading. Tragically, a fellow sailor on the voyage, Christopher, got sick and died. On September 30, 1824, Bates read a prayer at his funeral service, and then, with a heavy bag of sand bound to his feet, Christopher’s body was plunged into the sea.

While the body of his friend sank in the cold waters, Bates repented of his sins and surrendered his life to God.

A few days later, Bates penned “A Solemn Covenant With God,” which reads, Eternal and ever-blessed God: I desire to present myself before thee with the deepest humiliation and abasement of soul. Sensible how unworthy such a sinful worm is to appear before the Holy Majesty of Heaven, the King of kings and Lord of lords,… I come therefore acknowledging myself to have been a great offender. Smiting on my breast and saying with the humble publican, “God be merciful to me a sinner,”... this day do I with the utmost solemnity surrender myself to thee. I renounce all former lords that have had dominion over me, and I consecrate to thee all that I am, and all that I have... Use me, O Lord, I beseech thee, as an instrument of thy service; number me among thy peculiar people. Let me be washed in the blood of thy dear Son, to whom, with thee, O Father, be everlasting praises ascribed by all the millions who are thus saved by thee. Amen.

Here, Bates (1) recognized God’s holiness and majesty; (2) acknowledged his own insignificance and sinfulness; (3) fully repented of his sins; (4) surrendered his life to God; and (5) asked God to use him in His service.

Let’s join Bates in this covenantal prayer today and every day.