The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you
(Deuteronomy 31:6; NIV).
1. Father,
You’re in exile
With those living far from home,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
No matter where we roam.
2. Father,
You’re in hospital
With every patient there,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
To comfort, heal, and care.
3. Father,
You’re in prison
With each lonely detainee,
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
To set our spirits free.
4. Father,
You’re in everyone;
You never cease to give;
For Christ, your Son, dwells in us all,
So we may fully live.
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride on the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me (Psalm 139:7-10; NLT).
References
1. In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
2. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NIV).
He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7; NIV).
3. The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love (Genesis 39:21; NLT).
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners (Luke 4:18; NIV).
4. There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need (Luke 12:31; NLT).
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NLT).
The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult
(Matthew 7:14; NLT).
1. Father,
Every time I stray
Beyond your narrow, testing path,
Please guide me to your sacred way,
And save me from your righteous wrath.
2. Father,
Every time I roam
Away from your parched, desert trail,
Please seek me out, and bring me home,
Forgiving me each time I fail.
3. Father,
Every time I fall
From your steep, lonely, mountain track,
Please rescue me; Lord, hear my call,
And carry my weak spirit back.
4. Father,
Every time I drift
Far from my faith along the road,
Please stay with me, recall your gift
Of Christ, and help me bear my load.
5. Father,
Every time I lose
All sense of you within my soul,
Please whisper gently; don’t accuse:
Be patient, Lord, and make me whole.
References
1. Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14; NIV).
The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul (Deuteronomy 13:3; NLT).
2. It was I who rescued you from Egypt and led you through the desert for forty years (Amos 2:10; NLT).
I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again (Ezekiel 34:16; NLT).
3. The paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall (Jeremiah 23:12; NLT).
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders (Luke 15:4-5; NLT).
4. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way (Isaiah 53:6; NIV).
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
5. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Psalm 22:1; NLT).
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; RSV).
