Matthew 26-Present

What have I done?
This man has done nothing wrong
Yet I’ve betrayed him into the hands of men
He stands condemned though he was innocent all along

I can’t live with the pain

What have I done?
I claimed not to have known you
I did just what I promised I wouldn’t do
What kind of friend is concerned only for himself?

My Lord, please forgive me

You’ve done nothing wrong!
Except be a friend to those who needed love
You took a stand to show the world the truth they never knew
You took the burden of our sin and you gave us all
A chance to be forgiven
But we mistreated you and we tortured you
And we betrayed the trust you gave
Yet still you loved us
When you could have walked away
Still you died that day…

What have I done?
Surely this was the ‘Son of God!’
Yet I crucified him with my own hands
I closed my eyes and now I am filled with tears

How could I have been so blind?

What have I done?
All you’ve ever done is give your love
I thought that I could live my life alone
I turned my back and ignored all of your ways

How could I be so cold?

But you’ve set me free
From the chains of the sin that had a hold on me
You’ve helped me be
A new creation that I now can let the world see
You lifted me out of my despair
While you were still nailed there
Though I mistreated you
And I spat in your face
And laughed at you in your pain
You stood up for me
And begged God to forgive
What I couldn’t even see

My God! What have I done?

Matthew 26:36-42

My heart is heavy, my spirit weak
How can you ask me to go on?
This cup is too full, I cannot drink
Is there any other way?

As I try to shine as a light for you
To show your people the way
They cover their eyes
And drown me out with their fears
Their sorrow overwhelms me;
Father, please give me strength
For what you ask — I cannot do

It’s so hard for me to see right now
The value of this task
I feel I could do so much more
If only I was given the chance

Though many try to believe your words
Which through me they hear
They cannot understand
This world pulls them away
Even now, my closest friends sleep —
The ones who are supposed to walk with me;
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
I feel cold — I am alone
My Father, please stay by my side
Do not abandon me

Why can’t they all believe me
And believe who I say I am
I only want to bring them hope and peace
And to bring them close again to you

So many are the wicked
That they have sent me here to die
Why should I go through with
All this pain and suffering
When they don’t even care?
When they don’t even know my name?

My heart is filled with sorrow;
It hurts so much I could die
Please take this cup away from me
For I cannot drink it.
Don’t you love me?
Why would you ask this of me?
Do you love them all that much?
Despite all that they’ve done to you?

Father, if this is the way it must go
May it be as you command
Please give me the strength
To carry out all that you have planned

Father in heaven, as I pray to you now
You fill me with your love
I trust in you with all my heart, that
Your will be done in heaven and on earth;
If I must drink this cup that it may go away
So shall it be —
For my life is but a mist, and what I want
Has no meaning
I am your humble servant, O Father;
So let’s complete what we’ve begun.
Together.

[Luke 15:11-32]

Thank you, Father, for all you’ve done
But it’s time for me to go
I must leave this place to find success
And get out on my own

There’s a world out there that’s waiting
While opportunity calls my name
A chance for me to make my mark
There’s promise of glory and fame

Will you give to me what I deserve
I’ve worked long and hard for you
Let me have what’s mine and be on my way
I’ve got something I need to prove

I’ll come home again someday
With more than I have today
I’ll make you proud of all I do
And bring something back for you

The dreams I had have fallen away
This world has bled me dry
Success has gone to someone else
All I have is mud in my eye

I had done so well for so, so long
Things had been good for me
I’d built up my fortune, glory and fame
My life was fun and free

But my fortune paid for my glory and fame
And soon they all were gone
No friends, no foes, no one that cared
Now I’m broken, cold, alone

How can I ever come home to you
After all the heartache I put you through
I deserted you, I lived for myself
What right do I have to ask for your help?

I will beg to be least of all his men
I must go home if I can gather the nerve
I’m not worthy of his forgiveness
I will accept what I deserve

As I come home, I see you now
Have you been waiting there for me?
Father, I’m sorry, I’ve done you so wrong
I’m so sorry, can you see?

Why are you smiling? Why do you cheer?
Why are you dancing so?
Do you not see what I have done
Do you understand, do you not know?

“I understand, yet you do not
I’m rejoicing, can’t you see,
Because all this time you have been gone
And at last you’re home again with Me!”

Luke 15, John 9

I love to hear your voice, O Lord
And I want to know you more
The closer I stand, the greater you become
And I’m proud to be called your son

But so often I drift away
Caught up in every day
I get lost among the circumstance
Walk out the door and don’t share my plans
With you

And though I hear you calling me
I don’t want you to hear or see
The farther I go, the smaller you are
The closer I am to becoming a star

While I play out in the weeds
I don’t want you to know my deeds
I can hear you calling out my name
And I’m not sure if I can bear the shame
Of me

So I hide myself from all the pain
Of knowing I’ve let you down again
I hate that I’m so weak and frail
I deserve again to be thrown in jail
For all I’ve done
There shouldn’t be another chance

Yet you seek me with all your heart
And look to give me a brand new start
For it’s through your loving sacrifice
Dear Jesus, you’ve already paid the price
For all I’ve done
And I just don’t understand

And while I’m standing at your feet
I keep looking towards the street
Someone’s calling me out to play
I shouldn’t go but he convinces me anyway

And here I am once again
Overcome by all my sin
This must be the last time for sure
It surely seems there is no cure
For me

Yet you seek me with all your heart
And look to give me a brand new start
For it’s through your loving sacrifice
Dear Jesus, you’ve already paid the price
For all I’ve done
I just don’t understand

But again I am renewed by you
You pick me up and pull me through
You set my feet on solid ground
I once was lost but now am found
And all I’d been
Is forgotten once again

Olly, Olly, Oxen Free!
Christ has come to set us free
We need not hide in shame or fear

Olly, Olly, Oxen Free!
I once was blind but now I see
Let us sing until the whole world hears!

Psalm 40:3

Love flows around me; joy flows through my heart
For it was not a year today I was given a brand-new start
To live a new life and die to the old;
Out of the darkness and into His fold.

I came from a place that was lonely and dark;
Hiding in the shadows; swimming with sharks.
The blind lead the blind into the pit of despair:
No love, no truth, no hope, no care.

I ran with the wolves and sang songs to the dead.
Praying that I was elsewhere instead.
My family was crumbling, my marriage on the ropes
I was failing in my journey, devoid of all hope.

“Where are you, God!” one day I cried.
Not expecting an answer, I never really tried.
“Right here,” he responded, but I couldn’t see,
I was too busy worrying all about me.

I’d wonder and ask, why can’t I know Him?
Why are my chances of salvation so slim?
I knew about Jesus and what He had done,
I believed that the Lord had sent His own Son!

He died on that day on the cross for all sin,
But “why” was the question that haunted me then.
I couldn’t imagine the love He must feel
Or why He would bother to strike such a ‘deal’.

But in His due time, He opened my ears.
He gave me the power to face all my fears.
I sat down one day and listened to His Words,
And for once they didn’t sound so absurd.

They were challenging and harsh; they cut open my heart.
They exposed my sin and cut me apart.
My face had been hidden, with myself but to blame;
But He showed me great mercy which lifted my shame!

In response I shared in Christ Jesus’ death,
Of water and spirit I breathed my first breath.
My sins are forgiven, my hope is restored;
God is my Father, and Jesus is Lord!

For I now understand what Jesus has done,
He didn’t die for all men, He just died for one!
Because of me He was lonely, if just for a day,
Separated from God, so very far away.

Though my sins forgiven, I’ll never forget:
That day I was given the Spirit, and my spot in Heaven set!
My heart is glad and my tongue rejoice!
I praise the Lord with all my voice!

It’s taken a lifetime, but “Father, I’m home!
Thank you for waiting, I’m no longer alone.
Please hold my hand, that I may stay close,
Please keep me humble, that I may not boast.”

He called me that day to walk in the Light!
To know Truth and Joy; to feel His might.
In all that I do, He’s the reason it’s done
That I may be considered His adopted son.