🙌It's the Friday Call to Worship!🙌

I've been playing an old hymn on repeat. My younger children don't understand the 18th century lyrics, but we've worshiped wholeheartedly to "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". Something in that song is reaching something in us, so I did a little digging on the story behind it.

Robert Robinson lost his father as a young boy in the 1700's. He had to grow up fast, start working young, and ran the streets of London as a gangster. Robinson convinced his gang to heckle a Methodist gathering when he was 17. He got more than he bargained for when he heard preacher George Whitefield's message, and he gave his heart to the Lord at 20-years old. Robinson immediately set out to become a preacher and wrote "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in 1757 to express the joy he'd found in his new faith.

Later in life, Robinson wandered from faith and lost the joy he had so clearly articulated. On a seemingly random commute, the miserable former gangster and backslidden preacher took passage on a stage coach. The only other traveler was a young woman, a perfect stranger to him, who kept humming, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". Robinson employed every thinkable distraction and diversion, but he could not get the woman off that song.

Finally, she asked what he thought of the hymn. I imagine Robinson's tone resounded with agony when he replied, "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." Gently, she replied, "Sir, the 'streams of mercy' are still flowing."

Eight words exchanged on a road trip, originally authored by his own hand, led Robinson to repent and restore his fellowship to the Lord. Not only are the streams of mercy still flowing, but they are pursuing.

Listen to King's Kaleidoscope's rendition of, "Come Thy Fount" and let the ever-flowing streams fill you to overflow. You never know whose life your overflow could impact.