Wednesday, February 9, 2011

a song of Lament

Steve Garber mentioned that the church needs songs of lament. Steve, here are 2 of my favorites...

Hold Dearly To Me
(by Michael Roe, from the disc “Safe as Milk”)


what do you do
when you're in total frustration Lord?
what do you do
when you're in total despair?
what can you say
when you dial that number
and the only person you want to talk to is never really,
really quite there?
this person
cannot bring me happiness
this person
cannot bring me joy
Gracious God lift me higher,
let me see your beautiful face
i gotta know
who my true friends are
and where's my home sweet home
many nights i've wandered
alone down this street of pain
many days i've stumbled
out into the darkness of daylight
many years i've wandered,
wondering just where i'll end up
in a festering heap of flames
or a shivering cold
cold night
good God almighty
scoop me up
and set me free
let me walk in Your forgiveness
make a man out of me
Lord i've been jumping at shadows,
like a snake
i've been eating my tail
let me trip,
let me stumble but
please
please don't let me fail
i'm a fly by night,
i'm a dog by day
i've got a room full of beautiful memories
growing old and in the way
i got a heart that's been broken
over and over again
some by lovers, some by brothers, but
most of all by my own dirty little hands
let me sit at your holy feet,
let me count the hard cost
of what is right and what is wrong,
of who is kind and
who can only be the boss
let me lie awake
and seek the truth from thy holy face
out of the holy mouth thundering forth
out of the holy place
let me walk
stand and talk
with the mind of one given over
only to the things
that i know you hold dear
let me soften my heart,
let me harden my footsteps
as i press toward the mark of
your safe place
without any fear
hold dearly to me
hold dearly to me
hide me,
drape me,
closely and safely Lord
Hold

I Need God
(by Michael Roe, also from “Safe as Milk”)


i
need God
in all
the familiar places
that this lonely
heart
of mine embraces
oh
i
need God
well i
need God
but i've wandered
so far away
more and more
each and
every day
i
go astray
well, his open arms
reach out to me
longing and begging
to set me
free
will i reach out
and take them
or turn away
forsake them?
no,
no,
no...
well, i
need God
but i wonder
if He can still
hear me
and if so,
won't
You please
draw near to me
oh,
please, please God


I was going to add an old poem I wrote. However, I have yet to find it. So, perhaps I'll post it when I do. I wrote it shortly after the Amish school shooting. I used to live in Lancaster, PA when I was young. I only remember the title off the top of my head.
I called it: "Why must the children die?".

I have many thoughts on Valetine's day. They are in the "collection & sort through them" stage right now, though...

May His grace drip from your fingers,
B

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