Come Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand'ring from the face of God;
He, to save my soul from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

As I sat at the dining room table Sunday morning and prepared a lesson for my children, the words to this hymn poured out of our stereo. And the second line, one I've sung a hundred times, caught me by surprise.

How I have needed a fine tuning of late.

As we prepare for a move to a new state, a new parish, new everything, and the sale of our current home lies dormant, so my soul has closed its' stirring song of praise to the Father. I've forgotten how to remember His grace.

Grace that comes unexpectedly, as in the words to a much loved hymn being sung as background to children playing, birds chirping, laundry running.

It is not easy, this praising Him through the storm, is it? But how lovely, how Providential, that He is the one who can tune our hearts to lift melodious praise...to Him.

We fall out of tune when our worship stagnates, its' position stolen by worry, bitterness. Busyness. Without practice, the notes turn sour, when they are actually played. He deserves so much better.

He is a Master, yes? And in His gifted hands our hearts are safe. With every twist of the tuning pegs, we feel pain, but the gentle pressure of His fingers on our heart strings brings such comfort. As a violinist, a cellist, or a guitarist would never dream of sending their beloved instrument into the elements without their cases, so the Father shelters us as we weather these storms. We are not unprotected.

And I felt such peace as I leaned back in my chair, lifting my hands and whispering, "Tune my heart, Father, to sing your grace." And so He does. It hurts, and it stretches, but it is good.

It is my hope that, just as with a stringed instrument, much tuning of my heart will signify the outpouring of beautiful melodies of grace.

Sing away.



You are always welcome at my little place - A Path Made Straight