Why are you crying?
Who are you looking for?
This is a graveyard
Were you expecting more?

You feel abandoned
Like every hope has died
The death of all your dreams
This is the price of life.

He will claim His lost possession
Repossess you pay the cost
He will purchase you for freedom
He will find all that was lost

There stands the Stranger
There on the flowering slope
The Servant waits for you
In a garden of hope

Do you perceive now?
And have your eyes been cleared:
Have they been opened?
Have they been washed by tears?

He will claim His lost possession
Repossess you pay the cost
He will purchase you for freedom
He will find all that was lost

So run and tell all
Those who have longed to hear
The wait is over
The risen Savior's here.

Lyrics: Michael Card

I wish you could hear how beautiful this song is. It's from Michael Card's CD titled, "Hymns" and from the first note to the last I was mesmerized by both the lyrics and the tune.
I don't know its background but it reminds me of the story of Mary Magdalen when she went to the garden tomb and found it empty. She must have been consumed by such a dark hopelessness until she saw the risen Messiah standing before her.
Hope kindled anew.

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died
my riches gain I count but loss
and pour contempt on all my pride

Forbid it Lord that I should boast
save in the death of Christ my God
all the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood

Oh the wonderful cross
oh the wonderful cross
bids me come and die and
find that I can truly live
oh the wonderful cross
oh the wonderful cross
all who gather here by grace
draw near and bless Your name

See from His head His hands His feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down
did ever love and such sorrow meet
or thorns compose so rich
a crown.

Oh the wonderful cross
oh the wonderful cross
bids me come and die and
find that I can truly live
oh the wonderful cross
oh the wonderful cross
all who gather here by grace
draw near and bless Your name.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small
love so amazing so divine
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Lately I wonder as time hurries on
what have I done with the days come and gone?
and I remember how once I was drawn
into Your sanctuary

When did I wander so far away?
How did I get here? Why did I stray?
And can I ever find my way
back to Your sanctuary?

Nothing have I on earth but You
no one but You in heaven
so why do I continue to do everything else
but come to You?

All of my folly I finally see
I've nowhere to hide, I've no place to flee
if I ran to You, would You run to me
out from Your sanctuary?

Nothing have I on earth but You
no one but You in heaven
so why would I continue to do anything else
but come to You?

I will remember what You did for me
climbing that hill to die on that tree
there I will go and bend my knee
There I'll find sanctuary
Oh I'll give You thanks for Your sanctuary.

Music and lyrics by: Marty Goetz

I often listen to this song and feel as if it is the very cry of my heart. There is a Great High Priest in heaven who loves me (and you) so desperately and yet this life has so many distractions that pull and tug me in so many different directions. Why do I struggle to keep my focus? How do I fight to keep my focus? Why is it that I'm always running in the opposite direction?

How deep the Father’s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure
that He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss.
The Father turns His face away
as wounds which mar the Chosen One
bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross,
my sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life.
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything:
no gifts, no pow’r, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ:
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Lyrics: Stuart Townsend

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me to depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,

Charitie de Cheney Lees Smith Bancroft
1841-1923

Come thou font of every blessing
tune my heart to sing thy grace.

Streams of mercy never ceasing
call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet
sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer
hither by thy help I'm come.

And I hope by thy good pleasure
safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger
wandering from the fold of God.

He, to rescue me from danger
interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be.

Let thy goodness like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander Lord I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love.

Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

Prone to wander Lord I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love.

Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

This is one of my favorite hymns that was
written in 1757 by a man named Robert Robinson.
The first time I heard the lyrics was about four
years ago at a women's retreat.
The guest speaker was reciting them and when she
read the part that said,
"Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love"
I felt as if someone had pierced my heart.
That was me...prone to wander.
But, there is hope in the next line...
"Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."
Today I was reminded of this song and how it stirs
something in my heart. Today I had to ask myself,
"where have I wandered and is my heart
bound to Him?"

Arise, my love, my lovely one come,

the winter is past and the rains are gone.

The flowers appear, it's the season of song,

My beautiful one,

arise and come with me.

Set me like a seal on your heart,

for love is unyielding as the grave

the flash of it is a jealous fire,

no flood can quench,

for love is as strong as death.

Arise my love and come with me

before the dawn breaks and the shadows flee.

You ravished my heart with just one glance

my beautiful one, arise and come with me.

I am my love's, my beloved is mine.

Arise and come with me.

This is one of my favorite songs by Michael Card.

It's words come from the "Song of Solomon" in the Old Testament.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs the other day and there were many references to the "Song of Songs." I was inspired and reminded just how deep the Fathers love is toward us. Just how far He will go to find us if we've gone astray, how He longs to romance us into a relationship with Him.

He is gracious, merciful, longsuffering, and wishes that none suffer.

He is also a God who is jealous for our attention and devotion.

I am thankful to worship a Living God and not one made of wood or stone.