by Kala Loptien

Stories of Praise

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking the Sound Cloud link.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
1 Peter 4:10 English Standard Version

When we moved this summer, I resolved to spend time practicing piano again. I knew my sight reading and coordination would be rusty. I was right. I found a songbook of hymns and was determined to learn. I flipped through the pages, glancing at titles, smiling as I remembered hearing grandparents singing treasured tunes such as “Were You There?,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” “All Hail the Power,” and “Abide with Me.”

I landed on “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and recited the lyrics out loud. God has used compelling words and beautiful notes to help deliver His powerful messages of redemption and grace for centuries. There’s something about the blend of chords, coupled with the poetic flow of Gospel truths. It seems to reach the innermost parts of our hearts. Certainly not coincidence.

I needed to know the story behind the song. This particular hymn was penned by Robert Robinson when he was just 22. As a child, he suffered great loss. By his teenage years, he was running with a rough crowd. Somehow, that same crew found themselves sitting in a pew one evening. Hearing the truth that night pierced his soul, transforming Robinson. He became a preacher just a few years later, and wrote the song we sing today.*

God drew that crew of misfits to the pews of His church one night so they could hear of His mercy and new life in Christ. From there, lives were changed and a famous hymn would live on centuries later — with uplifting lyrics that continue to inspire us. God expertly uses our stories and the gifts He’s given to be part of the Great Commission. He draws us (flaws and all), inspires us, transforms us, then equips us with all we need to live out our calling and point others to the cross. As Matthew West so brilliantly sings: “All for you, not for me. My story, your glory.”

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

*enhym.com; Hymn History