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EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

We sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” one morning at church. I know I have shared the importance of this song in the past, but I firmly believe it deserves repeating. As we sang, I had several thoughts.

Often, we don’t know others’ story 100 percent, and yet we react as if we do. We are, dare I say, judgemental at times.

“But by the grace of God there go I.”

Sadly, we likely all know someone who has left their faith, and it is a reason to mourn, not gossip. I felt convicted to not have a spirit of rebellion, to resist the devil and to run as fast as I can away from sin. Stay humble.

“Robert Robinson had a tough beginning. His dad died when he was young and his mother, unable to control him, sent him to London to learn barbering. What he learned instead was drinking and gang life. When he was 17, he and his friends reportedly visited a fortuneteller. Relaxed by alcohol, they laughed as she tried to tell their futures. But something about the encounter bothered Robert and that evening, he suggested to his buddies that they attend the evangelistic meetings being held by George Whitfield.

That evening [Whitield] preached from Matthew 3:7: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’” Robert immediately sobered up and sensed he was being preached to directly. The words haunted him for nearly three years. On December 10th, 1755, he gave his heart to Christ, then entered the ministry at the age of 23. He wrote this hymn for Pentecost Sunday. It was a prayer that the Holy Spirit flood into our hearts with his streams of mercy, enabling us to sing God’s praises and remain faithful to him.” — “Then Sings My Soul: 150 Christmas, Easter, and All-Time Favorite Hymn Stories” by Robert J. Morgan

“Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.” — “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9, NIV

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.” — “What a friend we have in Jesus” by Joseph M. Scriven

If you need to surrender, today is your day.

Robin (Beckman) Gudal is intentional in life, a wife, momma, nana, friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.