Before

You knew me before I was even formed

In my mother’s womb YOU made room

For one more who would believe in YOU

Continued to love me to see me through

My sin I pursued and youthful rebellion onward stormed despite how YOU warned

Into intensity of heat of the world’s intimacy to words on the street

Turned up the degrees of hostility found to be in misery

With my wayward feet fell to the enemy in defeat

Into a deep dark pit fallen asleep almost quit in fear and deceit

Suicidal thoughts unwanted inside my mind accrete; stunned so low that I even think to delete my heartbeat

Stuck in the mud and mire as faith depletes; my only desire to be with YOU greet

Come to Your mercy seat pleading in repentance retreat

To follow inspired entreat to be rewired and made complete

Walking in the land of the living discreet no longer full of conceit

As a hired hand in wounded defeat left humbled, deathly tired, needing YOUR Spirit again to replete

To no longer ever go and repeat where my soul knows shame and guilt spiral downward beat

Brought me out and up upon YOUR shoulder in rescue toward home restoring me again as a son where Life giving Word and Salvation meet

Giving me compassion with mercy and grace freed after my about face and erase my evil as far as east to west no longer trace;  YOUR voice now to heed

New strength indeed awaits my pace in the race with YOUR perfect love to replace fears encased and my inner soul restore to daily feed

Taste and see that the LORD is good; would prove faithful and true making all things new in continual praise all my days letting YOU lead