I thought I could live on my own Without the safety of others Without the warmth of their presence Away from the sounds of their peace So in my weakness I wandered
From familiar safety and warmth To a truly desolate place Seeking for more than I needed And now finding only myself Full of cold and dark things
I cry out to be heard Calling his name into the darkness Yet far away from his voice I pine for his soft words Remembering his gentle ways
Seeking his guidance to follow To feel always safe and secure I never felt alone Yet now I seek and search Over a great distance
Through deep canyons of fear Scaling sheer cliffs of barrier Desperately scanning the horizon For some sign of him For some familiar sound
For any direction home From this lonely place So very cold and dark So far from the familiar So altogether foreign
Longing for his voice Which always comforted Always bringing me peace I feel so alone and cry out Yet only life’s echoes return
Bouncing off the hard cold rocks Hurting my consciousness My heart’s tears well up Yet in hopeless desolation comes A sound pierces the darkness
My whole being is now frozen In doubt, anxiety and longing Straining to hear through my fears Trying to see through my tears I hear it again, a call distant but clear
My name! My name! Voiced in the night Over and over it comes clearer And with loudness becomes familiar My shepherd, My Shepherd he calls! He has found me in my darkness
He has searched far and long Leaving all behind to seek me So great his love for each and all To search for me wherever I wander To find me when I am lost
To bring me home again To rejoin the other saved To be with him forever In pure joy of his presence With all who are so too loved
Dear Jesus, Seek me when I’m missing Guide me when I wander Save me when I am in danger Bring me home when I am lost Be with me and claim me as your own Will that I never be separated again From hearing your loving voice Always and in all ways Amen