Music Monday: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I thought I would take a moment to wish all my readers a wonderful holiday. I plan on making the best out of an awkward situation since my chair is still not fixed, and we have decided to wait on Medicaid (who knows how long that can take!!) After this post, I plan to spend the rest of the week off with family and dedicate some long-overdue writing time to my book…
As much as I enjoy doing these, I can’t help but feel that my book won’t get done unless I start making it an absolute priority. Yes, I won’t be doing it alone, of course – I will also have my family to help out during this process. But that wasn’t exactly what I was referring to; I hope this time will allow me to reconnect with my “writer” side and reconnect with God. I know nothing can be done without his presence and his encouragement – something I’ve been lacking as of late – so please say a prayer for me as I attempt to get in the groove of things!
Anyway, as we near the end of this Thanksgiving season, I would like to take one final look at a Thanksgiving classic – “Come thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Granted, it’s not a typical Thanksgiving hymn, but it shows God’s Power to transform lives.
Not only through its lyrics but also by its history.
Written by Robert Robinson in 1858 (nearly three years after his encounter with George Whitfield), the author reflects on his past. After the unexpected passing of his father, Robinson became even harder to deal with; as a last resort, his mother sent him off on an apprenticeship at the tender age of 14. She hoped it would give him a new sense of direction and a career in the future. But, unfortunately, her plans backfired as Robinson got in with the wrong crowd left to his own devices in London.
But God had even bigger plans for him. So one night, Robinson and his “gang of friends” attended a George Whitfield revival (probably with every intent to disrupt the service and cause a ruckus). But, strangely enough, something the preacher said had him intrigued.
For the next three years, he struggled to make sense of life on his own. Finally, though, at age 20, Robinson made “peace” with God and accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation. Shortly after, he joined a Methodist congregation and felt the call to preach.
The first stanza of this worship hymnal opens up, singing the praises of God and what he had done for humanity; the rest seem somewhat autobiographical of Robinson’s spiritual journey.
To listen to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing ” in its entirety, please go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYrTqBioaZ4