Unfailing Love

1999 COPYRIGHT
BY PETER CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND
(FOR ETHAN & ELSA)

ALL OF THE BEHAVIOR YOU GENTLY FORGAVE
AMONG THE DEPRAVED WAS I A SINFUL SLAVE
HOW FAR I WOULD FALL WAS ANYONE'S GUESS
YET I WAS DEEMED WORTHY ENOUGH TO BE BLESSED
THOUGH UNDERSTANDING LESS AND LESS
I'D BOTTOMED OUT AND I WAS SUCH A MESS
YOU CUT ME WITH BLUNT WORDS AND DIDN'T PRETEND
UPFRONT WITH THE TRUTH YOU REMAINED MY FRIEND
YOU LOVED ME SO PURELY AND SO FIRMLY ADMONISHED
...YOU BROUGHT ME BACK AND TOOK ME BACK...
I'M SO HUMBLED BY THAT AND DEEPLY ASTONISHED
YEARS I TRIED TO FILL THAT BLEAK VOID
SUPPRESS THE SORROW OF THE FAITH I'D DESTROYED
YOUR HOPE STILL ENDURED AND YOU'D DAILY PRAY
THAT I WOULD COME BACK TO REPENTANCE ONE DAY
EVEN LONG AFTER I'D FALLEN AWAY
YOU'RE FAITH WAS UNFLINCHING BUT THAT'S JUST YOUR WAY
AND EVEN WHEN I'M OVERWHELMED WITH GRIEF
YOU OFFER ME COMFORT AND GODLY RELIEF
I'M NOT HERE TODAY AND I CAN'T HEAR THE SERMON
AND YET YOU SUPPORT ME WITH LOVE THAT'S DETERMINED
YOU WON'T THINK TWICE TO TELL ME I'M IN SIN
BUT YOU'RE SYMPATHETIC TO THE PAIN I'M IN
EVEN NOW AS THE DEMONS ARE SWARMING
THERE'S LOVE AND COMPASSION IN YOUR WARNING
ALTHOUGH I HAD FALLEN FROM MUCH FAVOR
YOUR STRENGTH OF DEVOTION WOULDN'T WAVER
SOMETIMES I'M GRIPPED WITH TERRIBLE FEAR
AND IT'S A WONDER TO ME THAT YOU'RE STILL HERE
BUT I'M GRATEFUL YOU DECIDED TO PERSERVERE
YOU REMIND ME THAT I'M STILL CHOSEN AND DEAR
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE DAYS WILL LEAD
THANK GOD HE'S CONTINUED TO INTERCEDE
I'M NOT ALWAYS IN TOUCH WITH WHO OR WHAT I NEED
I NEED FAITH TODAY THAT GOD WILL SUCCEED