****COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING

 

Robert was a small boy in mid-18th century England when his father died and so, without the guidance of a male parent in the home, he wandered into the corrupt influence of bad companions.

On one occasion, he and his wild, rowdy gang harassed a gypsy woman. Thy poured liquor into her and demanded that she tell their fortunes for free.

The drunken gypsy pointed directly at Robert and told him that he would live to see his grandchildren. He was startled by that and he thought, “If I am going to have children and grandchildren, I’ll have to change my way of living.”

That incident softened his heart and he wanted to go to church. His companions went with him to heckle the Methodist congregation. But the pastor, George Whitefield was not deterred; he boldly preached a convicting sermon from the text: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt 3:1)

Robert left that evening, fearful and with a deep sense of personal sin that haunted him for three years

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At the age of 21, he made his peace with God, he trusted Christ for salvation, and he began preparations to become a Methodist preacher. Two years later, in 1757, Robert Robinson wrote the hymn that many believe was autobiographical and prophetic. It certainly seems to reflect his life.

In the last stanza he wrote: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

That phrase caused some to question his salvation. After all, he left the Methodists to become a Baptist and then, later, he developed a very close relationship with a Unitarian preacher. Some say he converted.

However, in a sermon he preached later, Robinson clearly declared that Jesus is God, and that, "Christ in Himself is a person infinitely lovely as both God and man."

That certainly doesn’t sound like errant Unitarian theology.

But then there is an unverified story about an incident in Robert’s old age. While traveling in a stagecoach, a young female passenger began singing, COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING. After a while, she asked him what he thought of her song.

The legend says that he looked at the young lady and, with tears in his eyes, said, "Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then."

To which the young woman gently replied, “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.”

The story indicates that Robert was deeply touched by the message of his own hymn and His fellowship with the Lord was restored because of the willing witness of a strange Christian.

During his life, he pastored several churches, wrote numerous works on theology, and composed several hymns.

Did Robert Robinson really drift away from the God he loved? I don't know, Maybe, We all experience those times of doubt and are prone to wander. But the second part of that phrase, as well as most of the hymn, is a proclamation of our assurance. Christ has redeemed us with His precious blood and those whom God saves, He seals, and He keeps.