the prodigal

as i posted before, the guys at sovereign grace music released their sons and daughters album at worshipGod09. the songs are awesome, being musically well-crafted, lyrically poetic, and theologically informed. last time, i posted on "completely done", which you can now download for free from their website.

today i want to highlight on of the songs on the album called "the prodigal", a music representation of Jesus' well-known parable in Luke 15. the lyrics are as follows:

"You held out Your arms, i walked away.
insolent, i spurned Your face,
squandering the gifts You gave to me,
holding close forbidden things.
destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride.
the world i once enjoyed is dead to me
no joy, no hope, no life.

where now are the friends that i had bought?
gone with every penny lost.
what hope could there be for such as i,
sold out to a world of lies?
oh, to see Your face again. it seems so distant now.
could it be that You would take me back,
a servant in Your house?

You held out Your arms, i see them still,
You never left, You never will.
running to embrace me, now i know,
Your cords of love will always hold.
mercy's robe, a ring of grace, such favor undeserved.
You sing over me and celebrate,
the rebel, now Your child."

this particularly hit me today, in repenting for sin in my life and asking forgiveness. with us mere humans, if someone sins against you, you may indeed forgive them, but there is still a wound there, especially for deeper sins, and it still hurts. with the Father, there is no talk of "you know, that really hurt Me". no, there is singing and rejoicing, "for this, My son, was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." oh, what a gracious God we serve, family. may His grace and mercy be evident to you today.