"Prone to Wander"?
Debilitating Theology in the Pews
The power of the song “Come Thou Fount” is the revelation that we can always know His Love.
The song is about a believer’s journey to discovering the cross. It is the good news that just keeps getting better. But the song is only the beginning of a story, not the end. You see, the cross is just the launching pad, the foundation, the slingshot that propels us into the victorious, miraculous, “greater-works” existence that Jesus modeled, and told us we had access to.
You see, Jesus never once was “prone to wander” or “prone to leave the God He loved.” He came to earth to settle that exact issue once and for all. He came to set us free, that we too might see, encounter, and become love; that we might be transformed from “prone to wander,” to “prone to love Him!”
I think that if a person sings the line “prone to wander” as a testimony, it is stunning, powerful, life-changing revelation. But when a believer, as a proclamation, sings those lyrics, they are debilitating and destructive. While that line in the song is brilliant theology for the sinner, it is devastating theology for the saint.
The cross is only beautiful because of the empty tomb. We celebrate His death because of His resurrection. I would like to suggest that the power of Love is perfected when sinners become saints. That was the whole point of Jesus’ death and resurrection—that we would encounter Love and become love.
I no longer sing “prone to wander.” I can’t, it’s not true. My Heavenly Father said so.
Instead, when I sing this beautiful hymn, by faith, I agree with how my Father sees me. I sing, “prone to love you, Lord, I feel it, prone to know the God I love.” And I can’t help but cry tears of joy while I sing this. Why? Because not only is it the cry of my heart, but because of my beautiful, best friend, Jesus, it’s true! And how good is He for making it so. Thank you, Jesus!
My journey is a headlong discovery of my Fathers love. There is no greater discovery ever made and I am learning that the discovery of His love sets me free to become love. In fact, my revelation of my Father’s love is what transforms me.

Jason Clark is a writer, speaker and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.
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A thousand times, yes! We tend to act out what we believe…I know that if I live (die) in the unbelief & false doctrine of “prone to wander,” as a follower of Jesus, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of despair. It’s living in Romans 7 when Jesus died to bring us into a Romans 8 experience!!! May He open my eyes completely to His fulness!
Thanks for sharing, bro!