Prone to Wander, Lord, I Feel It

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the Lord has helped us'".  1 Samuel 7:12

I was privy to an amazing message in church Sunday morning while Pastor Liz talked about “Continuing the Work” which is part of the 2025 theme, UNDER CONSTRUCTION. We started with John Newton’s Amazing Grace / My Chains Are Gone and shortly thereafter sang Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Can you connect these two songs? Which was written first and by whom?

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing was written by Robert Robinson in 1758, and our beloved Amazing Grace was composed by John Newton in 1772. Could these two hymns possibly belong in the same Sunday morning sermon? Yes, and Pastor Liz creatively knit them together.

John Newton was raised by a loving, faithful mother who wanted to make sure that he knew about living the Christian life. When she died, he was only 7 and the bottom fell out of his world. Within a few years, he found himself surrounded by cussing, drunken and lewd sailors who were more than happy to teach him the maritime lifestyle. Eventually he became captain of a slave-trade ship. A life-threatening storm at sea brought back his mother’s teachings. It still took years for him to completely surrender and get his life turned back around…but with God’s help, he did it!

Come Thou Fount could have been his theme song! He was prone to wander, just as we go off the rails today. He even forgot about God. His interest in being wealthy pulled his desires, but the treatment of humans continually tore at his heart strings. He just needed to remember to raise his Ebenezer; to never forget God’s mighty hand that protected him for the purpose ahead.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

wandering from the fold of God,

he, to rescue me from danger

interposed his precious blood.

Oh, perhaps I should explain that Robert Robinson lost his father at age 8 and through immense hardships had to grow up quickly as the breadwinner. Despite trials and tribulation, he went on to become a pastor. For some unknown reason he became extremely sad and mentally unstable. Fast forward: On a stagecoach ride with an unknown female passenger, he heard his words come pouring out of her mouth as she passed the time singing his hymn with her lovely soprano voice. Another changed man.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it!  God knows each purpose. He has a plan—always has—always will.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Loving Lord, thank You for reminders. Rein us in when we wander. Take and seal our hearts for your courts above. AMEN.