"Bind my wardering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, o take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above."
The song was Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing and is still sung today in churches all around the world.
This song has been going over and over in my head this past week. So, I decided to do some research on it. I couldn't get over the fact that it was written in 1758 by Robert Robinson. Does't it seem like in those times, people didn't have the distractions to cause them to wander? I mean...what would cause them to wander? They worked, ate, and slept. They didn't have all the distractions we have today that cause us to wander. But, still, they were prone to wander. Even Eve was prone to wander. We just have that bent! Ugh!
I was thinking of several friends who have been caught in their deep sin lately. I don't think they just woke up one day and said, "I think I'm going to ruin my life and those around me. I'm going to...." No, they were prone to wander...just like we all are! The wandering is what causes the beginnings of the disaster. The longer you wander, the farther off you are and you don't think you can get back to where you were before.
I love the fact that Robinson asks of God to take his heart and seal it. Wrap it up tight, Lord, so that nothing can get in! But, the verses go on to acknowledge that he will struggle with sin all his days.
Have you been prone to wander lately? I sure have been and will continue to be. We've all been there. Maybe you've wandered away pretty far...let this song be your anthem today . (even if you don't use the words Thy, Fount, Ebenezer, fetter, and some of these other "old" words in our current speech).
Come , Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fxed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here They praises I'll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by They great help I've come;
And I hope, by They good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let They goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.
prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for They courts above.
O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see They lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I'll sing They sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
