Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. . .

We all have favorite hymns that touch our hearts. . . hymns from childhood or an important moment in our faith life. . . maybe even from a loved one's funeral or baptism.  They are songs that have the power to bring us to our knees or cause us to weep whether with grief, joy, hope, or repentance.  This one always gets me. . .

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

I think it's because I know how fragile faith, my faith, often is.  Seeing the pain and suffering all around puts me on the verge sometimes of disbelief, on the edge of hopelessness some days, and prone to leave the Lord I love.  But this song always brings me back to what Christ has done for me and all believers.  He has instilled in me a holy love, and most days (thankfully) a deep faith.  When a friend or parishioner is questioning their own faith, this song comes to mind because it is so honest in the way it portrays the faith journey.  We are all prone to wander, and prone to leave the God we love. . . its called original sin and we were born into it.  Though the waters of baptism keep original sin in check, we are still very fragile in our faith. . . yet we are reminded of what Christ has done for us:
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

The good news is that we are rescued, saved, pulled out of the waves that seek to sink our boats (Matthew 14) and given a second chance.  "He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned human being. He has purchased and freed me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.  He has done all this in order that I may belong to him, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in eternal righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally."  (Luther, SC)


Our second chance, and third and fourth. . . consist of new life and life abundant.  


That doesn't mean that everything will go smoothly for us, that every loose end will be tied up and there will suddenly be absolute certainty in all aspects of life-- this is after all a life of faith and faith is required where uncertainty is the norm.  But we know that even though we wander that our Lord will come looking for us, the Great Shepherd of the sheep will not abandon us or leave us wandering too long.  And nothing. . . nothing. . . can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8)  Every fall, every failing, every uncertainty, every doubt is met with the holy presence of Christ.  We are clothed in flesh but we rely on our faith. . . and our faith allows Christ to meet us in our mortality, our failings, insecurities and uncertainties.  If we knew everything and could control everything then we wouldn't be in need of a Savior!  Our wandering has to do with our wanting and needing to control everything!  


Yes, we are prone to wander.
Yes, we are prone to leave the One we love, the One who loves us most of all!  
Sometimes I think we just need a reminder about how fragile are our human tendencies.  


Image credit: examiner.com