Sanctification

I leave my life so full of hate,
And walk the path to heaven’s gate.
My step, a slow and steady rate,
For where I go, there is no late.

I stop to smell the roses sweet,
And share my peace with all I meet.
Through this, I show my sins’ defeat;
I walk the path with gentle feet.

But then I stumbled on a bear,
Charging forth from near its lair.
My steady stroll, so unaware,
Is now a stride to flee despair.

I do not get a moment’s rest,
To slow the beating of my chest.
I’m surely failing at this test,
For now I find myself distressed.

My pain continues on the way,
Another danger every day.
While my hair begins to gray,
I worry what my soul will pay.

Just as I find a safe respite,
A shadow comes and dims my sight.
And so again, my legs take flight,
For up ahead, I see a light.

Arriving at the tender glow,
I find the gate I yearned to go.
I enter in, confused and low,
For now He’ll see my life of woe.

Why did I lead a life so brash,
Always fleeing from the lash?
He’ll judge me reckless, even rash;
My plan for peace has turned to ash.

I approach my Lord, Immanuel,
And to my weary knees I fell.
I should be silent, simply dwell,
But to my Lord I cry and yell:

“My Father, holy, good, and true,
I tried to give my life to You,
Living as You’d want me to,
Yet every day I strained anew.

I desired to be filled with grace,
To show the world Your warm embrace.
Instead, I ran this painful race;
Now for my Judge, I have no case!”

And then I heard the trumpet roar,
His voice of thunder; I bow before.
My eyes still staring at the floor,
Shaken, humbled to my core.

He said to me, “My foolish son,
You come to me a wreck, undone.
Though the race you surely won,
Did you not see I wanted you to run?”