Prone to Wander

For years, people have loved the hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”  While many reasons exist for this song persevering through the years, one of the main reasons I believe is the lyrical and musical combination of such an honest line:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.

I think we all know that feeling far too well.  Not only does it resonate with our spirits, but musically, the notes make us sing it like we mean it.

I read an excerpt in Dale Ralph Davis’ commentary on 2 Samuel regarding that hymn that I never knew before.  It is a staggering reality and makes the line even  heavier.

Maybe Robert Robinson understood it too.  He had been converted under George Whitefield’s preaching in 1752 and later became a Baptist pastor in Cambridge.  Towards the end of his life he had again ‘given way to frivolous habits,’ as one account has it.  One day during this period he was traveling by stagecoach.  Another passenger, a lady and a total stranger, was going over some hymns and especially and persistently referred to ‘Come, Thou Fount’ as one that had brought immense blessing.  As she continued speaking Robinson became so agitate that he burst out, ‘Madam, I am the poor, unhappy man who composed that hymn many years ago; and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then!”  (142-143).

The author of that hymn knew that feeling all too well.

As he felt his wayward leaning earlier in his ministry, he later experienced it.

  1. Are you aware of where you are prone to wander?
  2. Are you fighting against that sin?
  3. Do you have any accountability in place?
  4. Does anyone know of your struggle?
  5. Have you sought God’s Word for help?

Don’t seek generic help.  Go to God with fervor and diligence and do what is necessary to kill the sin that would cause you to wander from one so great.

For more on this topic, check out the sermon, “I Have Found the Book.”