Tag faith and hope

4 Hymns of Redemption— There Is a Fountain

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

There is a Fountain

Some hymns comfort the heart, and some cleanse it. There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood does both. William Cowper, a man who knew the depths of despair and the fierce mercy of God, wrote this hymn. It is not polished or ornamental. It is honest. It is vulnerable. It is the cry of a soul. The soul has discovered that the only place to find cleansing is at the foot of the cross. It also finds healing there. Hope is found at the foot of the cross too.

Cowper’s words are not theoretical. They rise from a life marked by suffering, doubt, and repeated battles with darkness. And yet, out of that struggle came a powerful declaration of grace. It stands as one of the most profound in all of hymnody. The blood of Christ is not merely symbolic. It is effective, cleansing, restoring, and sufficient. This hymn does not shy away from the cost of redemption. It invites the believer to step into the stream of mercy that flows from Christ’s sacrifice. In that stream, they find a hope that cannot be shaken.

Zechariah 13:1 gives us the anchor:
“On that day there shall be a fountain opened… to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.”
Cowper takes this ancient promise to the foot of Calvary. He reminds us that the fountain is not a metaphor. It is the very life of Christ poured out for us.

As you listen to the piano meditation, let this hymn wash over you. Let it remind you that grace is not fragile. Mercy is not scarce. The cleansing love of Christ is deeper than your failures and stronger than your fears. Let this be a moment of renewal.

Hymn Lyrics: There Is A Fountain

(Public Domain)

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy power to save.

Audio Meditation


Let the music draw you into the cleansing, renewing mercy of Christ.

About the Hymnwriter

William Cowper (1731-1800) was a poet of extraordinary sensitivity and depth. His life was marked by profound emotional struggle, yet out of that struggle came hymns of remarkable clarity and hope. There Is a Fountain is one of his greatest works. It is a hymn that testifies to the power of Christ’s blood. This power can cleanse, restore, and sustain. Cowper partnered with John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace. They produced the Olney Hymns, a collection. This collection has shaped Christian worship for generations. His words remind us that God often brings the richest truth out of the deepest valleys.

Benedictional Prayer

May the cleansing love of Christ wash over your heart today.
May His mercy quiet every fear and lift every burden.
May His grace renew your hope and strengthen your steps.
And may the fountain of His salvation flow through every part of your life.
Amen.

A CALL TO THE WANDERER

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

The Shepherd Who Seeks

When someone goes missing,

the unanswered questions linger

—day after day, night after night

—refusing to let the heart rest.

When the sheep strays, the Shepherd does not shrug and move on. Jesus said, “What man of you… does not leave the ninety‑nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4). His pursuit is not casual—it is determined, deliberate, and unrelenting. He does not stop until the lost one is lifted onto His shoulders and carried home with joy.

The Lamp That Reveals

When the coin slips into the shadows, Jesus tells us the woman “lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it.” (Luke 15:8). She refuses to accept loss as final. She refuses to let darkness have the last word. Her lamp burns, her hands move —because value does not diminish simply because something is hidden.

The Father Who Restores

And when the son wanders into rebellion and ruin, Scripture says, “While he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion.” (Luke 15:20). The Father never stopped watching the horizon. His love outran the son’s shame. His embrace interrupted the son’s rehearsed apology. Restoration came faster than condemnation could speak.

These parables are not stories about human persistence—they are revelations of heaven’s heart. Jesus said plainly, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). Whether the missing one is a mother like Nancy Guntrie, a friend who vanished without explanation, or a soul wandering far from God, the truth remains: no one is beyond the reach of the Shepherd, the search of the Spirit, or the love of the Father.

Nothing Is Hidden From God

Loss wears many faces, and Scripture refuses to limit God’s concern to only one kind.

Some are lost physically. Some are lost emotionally. Some are lost spiritually. But none are lost to Him.

David declared, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). Even in the darkest places, “the darkness shall not hide from You.” (Psalm 139:12). What is hidden to us is never hidden to God. What is lost to us is never lost to Him.

Jesus promised, “There is nothing hidden which will not be revealed.” (Mark 4:22). He repeated it again: “Nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 8:17). Paul echoes this truth: “God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness.” (1 Corinthians 4:5).

God uncovers what needs to be found. He reveals what needs to be seen. He brings into the open what the enemy tried to bury.

The God Who Restores

Restoration is not a side theme—it is the central promise of God’s covenant love.
Scripture does not whisper about restoration—it declares it again and again:

“I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.” (Joel 2:25)
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
“I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.” (Jeremiah 30:17)
“The God of all grace… will restore, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
“Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

God does not merely repair—He restores. He does not patch—He renews. He does not discard—He redeems.

Heaven’s Joy Over the Found

And when the lost one is found—whether physically or spiritually—heaven does not whisper a polite welcome. Jesus said, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10). Restoration is not begrudging—it is celebrated.

We are not only recipients of this grace—we are participants in the search. We pray, we watch, we shine light into dark places, and we stand ready to embrace those who return, whether from miles away or from the far country of the soul.

Closing Declaration

What is lost will be found.
What is hidden will be revealed.
What is broken will be restored.
Amen!