Prodigal

I've dedicated everything,
My all to God I've giv'n,
And yet within my soul is numb,
And by this void I'm driv'n.
Finding something else to fill
This void I have inside,
For daily I have sorely wept,
And every night I've cried.
Is there hope in nothingness,
When only dark I see?
And is there truly any way
For me to be set free?
For in this prison of myself,
I'm trapped with no escape.
And daily tears are pressed from me,
Like wine from crushèd grape.

O Lord where are you when I cry,
But men of ill rejoice?
Do you my emptiness deny,
And hear you not my voice?
Well maybe somewhere else I find,
The thing to make me whole,
For still I can just barely stand
This void within my soul.
Twas not like years I had before,
When God you were my rest.
For now your presence I can't feel,
My heart is sore depressed.
And yet all those around me seem,
In sin so satisfied.
And so I plot and I do scheme,
For that I haven't tried.

I'm leaving now the father's fold,
To lands that seems more blessed,
For maybe there I'll find myself,
And I can find some rest.
I'll take the riches I have gained,
When in my father's care.
And in the strangers place I'll stay,
And I'll be happy there.
For now without the rules I've seen,
I'll truly smiles know,
For that is all I've seen from them,
That's what the world doth show.
They say you forge your own path there,
And you get what you've wrought.
So there I'll find myself content,
I'll find that which I've sought.

But then after the glitter fades,
And nobody is there.
I've noticed still, the emptiness,
And I'm filled with despair.
For now I've seen this,
All the God the world has now to give.
And I remember better days,
From how I used to live.
I threw away all that I had,
And yet still want it all.
Did I not see how blessed I was,
Were gifts from God too small?
But no, it wasn't that, I know,
It was but my dissent.
For I had shunned the Father's gifts,
And would not be content.
But oh what could this son do now,
That was a son no more,
But humbly at his feet to bow,
To beg and to implore.

A prodigal once ran away,
Into a land of wine,
Wishing for his father's death,
And wanting all that's fine.
But when he got what he did want,
He knew what he had done.
He had abandoned all the good,
His father he had shunned.
And tears did stream down from his face,
For he knew he could not,
Be a son in that same place,
Because of ill he'd wraught.
But yet his father he did see,
His son a walking near.
And he did run to meet him there,
For still he held him dear.
This son who wanted none
Of what his dad has given him,
The selfsame son who wished him death,
So he could live in sin.

Into his father's arms he went,
And both did weep till sore.
And he said father, please let me,
Attend unto thy door.
And yet the father warmly smiled,
And said while full of grace.
"You are my son, and still shall be"
While tears went down his face.
He killed the fatted calf for him,
Who once was dead in sin.
He gave the finest cloths and wine,
He gave it all to him.
For even though the son did stray,
And wanted him to die.
He had still love for him alway,
And every day did cry.
For he had wanted him his son,
To come again one day.
And every day and every night,
For this son he did pray.

So Christian friend we should be sure,
No matter where we are.
Whether to God we are near,
Or whether we are far.
When we are held of empty heart,
We shouldn't go astray,
For nothing then will fill the void,
It will not go away.
But we should seek the Lord alway,
And let him send his help,
For even when we go astray,
He's always there himself.
For God he has provided us,
With all that we could need.
The void within our soul is strong,
So let God take the lead.
There is no other way
to find contentment in this life.
E'en that which looks like happiness,
Will always lead to strife.