𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝟸 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘺𝘮𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮 – “𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨”

“Tune my heart to sing Thy grace”

This line from a beloved hymn started my wheels turning this week. It takes a mere moment to pause and realize we have countless reasons to be grateful, to acknowledge that we are recipients of GOD’s amazing grace!

But is a spirit of thankfulness, a habit of praise, something to be learned? Something that needs to be cultivated? Can my heart be distracted or divided to the point that it needs “tuning” in order to sing the beauties of His grace?

If so, what most effectively brings my heart’s cry back into harmony with the One who has claimed it for Himself?

George Matheson, in his book Streams in the Desert, presents this beautiful word picture:

“𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘺. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘴.”

“𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 ‘𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶? ⁣
𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨?⁣
𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘏𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, ⁣
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨.⁣
𝘏𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶; ⁣
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯,⁣
𝘏𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 ⁣
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯.⁣
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘢 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 ⁣
𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵,⁣
𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤, ⁣
‘𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.’ “

I would have to agree. The richest tones and tenderest melodies in my own song come from my hardest days—when the LORD comes close to hold me, teach me, comfort me, and lead me courageously forward in the perfect path He has planned. When the fresh realization dawns of the utter depths from which my Savior has rescued me!

As our hymn for today suggests, is it not the Fount of every blessing, the only source of unfailing love, the One who tirelessly pursues our hearts and has redeemed us with His own blood, who inspires songs of His grace from our lips? Is it not the mysterious kindness in our most difficult days that leaves His indelible mark, the undeniable hand of GOD in our lives? Has He not given us the most glorious songs to sing—songs that no one else can sing because they are deeply personal stories to tell?

“From His fullness we have all received grace that replaces grace” (John 1:16).

May we join in the chorus of this oldie-but-goodie hymn today, giving praise to the LORD for His wondrous grace!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

by: Robert Robinson (1735-1790)

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, 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦,⁣
𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥-𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦;⁣
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 ⁣
𝘖𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘎𝘖𝘋’𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘖 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘵𝘰𝘳⁣
𝘋𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦!⁣
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳,⁣
𝘉𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘵;⁣
𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦;⁣
𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘵,⁣
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦.⁣
⁣
𝘑𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘚 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, ⁣
𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘖𝘋;⁣
𝘏𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳,⁣
𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥.⁣
⁣
𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳,⁣
𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳’𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥,⁣
𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳,⁣
𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘖𝘋.