In My Name

In the beginning was the word

And in my name all came to be

As spirit ‘pon the wave’s discord

A Light for all blind men to see

On Sinai’s bush, in wreathed flame

There I revealed my sacred name

“I am who I am”

For by my name all oaths are taken

In my name blind eyes are opened

Songs exalted, sins forsaken,

Demons thwarted, dead awakened,

In my name, salvation’s won

That God and man can be as one

The gospel, sent to all mankind

In my name, sanguine, is signed.

But strangers, men of distant hearts

They hear the echoes of my name

And with their wily eyes they start

To see the pow’r in its refrain

But seeing they are blind to me

And hearing they hear not my word

“their hearts are far from me.”

And they, though understanding little

bring, with lusting eye’s ambition

For my power, my name a riddle,

Gold, they’d buy like the magician

Simon, with whose heart they pine

To wield the pow’r of the divine,

And though for evil plans designed

in their mouths, my name’s consigned

Like wolves, they hunger for my sheep

To shepherd them in foreign way

And through the gate both wide and steep

They seek to lead them far astray

They burn to hold great power and rank

To mark the speck before the plank

“They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

For in my name they call down judgment

In my name people are slaughtered

In my name they twist my words meant

To bring sinners to the father.

Blind to saving grace are some

Who would prefer a god become

But after playing the divine

On the last day, they shalln’t be mine

There was a man that I recall

Who murdered many in my name

Who had, before I named him Paul

renown and garnered bloody fame

For he was full of faith and zeal

While killing those who bore my seal.

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

He did not know the sin he’d borne

Till on Damascus road, he’d fallen.

Scales, which from his eyes were torn

Revealed the truth and his new calling.

Killer that he was, he loved me,

sought me only as he knew

When I look at those who would call me

Those with his pure heart are few

So next time you would claim my name

To justify, consider for me

If it is the father’s aim

Or if you seek out your glory

For little christians that you art

I seek a man after my heart

“Here am I. Send me!”

For in this world, I’m misconstrued

Though Pilate had declared me blameless,

How much worse for the confused

If in my name evil’s done shameless

bear my name, beloved christian

Through your acts let me be seen

For by my love, they’ll see my passion

In my name, they’ll be redeemed