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On a ship bound for Tarshish

running from the call

I woke up in a belly

& thought I’d lost it all

 

My running hindered others

and brought storms upon their life

God threw me clean…overboard

into waters filled with strife

 

And there as I drowned

and the sea billows roared

He brought to mind the word He’d said…

“If you run ~ I’ll break you more“

 

Oh, the breaking of the Lord

how deep and how complete

I know He’ll take the pieces

and somehow make them meet

 

While in the belly of despair

I thought upon these things

I asked for His forgiveness

but didn’t hear a thing

 

3 years – 3months – 3 days, went by

and then I heard him say

“My will?…is that your will be broken

now will you obey?”

 

I looked up in the darkness

of the whale in which I dwelt

the tears began to run as rivers

and how my heart did melt

 

Oh God ~ I knew You loved me

and had given me a choice

I ran from this for all these years

when I had heard Thy voice

 

But no more Lord ~ I’m sorry

To Nineveh now I go

I’ll tell them all the words You said

just let Your Spirit flow

 

Coughed up on a sandy shore

of that cold and briny sea

I looked up to the heavens

as He was watching me

 

I said, oh God, I’m grateful

that I didn’t die out there

Your grace has even reached me here

and mercy more to spare

 

I thought I was a castaway

I thought my time was through

but then I heard Him whisper

“I’ve got plenty more for you“

 

But then I said, remember Paul?

He’s the one who penned that verse

He said, “My Spirit was the ink

what I have blessed, don’t curse“

 

I said, oh God, are You now saying

I’m still part of Your plan?

I thought my life was a closed book

just tossed up on Your stand

 

“My son, your life is not a book

but a book–end it shall be

My falling books and leaning ones

uphold them unto Me“

 

“To the vineyard & the field

I’ve called you with an oath

to the one a trumpet

yet a herald to them both“

 

“The fruit, the grain, I’m waiting now

the sheaves are almost in

quickly now ~ the day is spent

and many souls to win“

 

“Fear not their faces, nor their words

I’ve set your face like flint

for you shall say unto them all

it’s high time to repent“

 

Oh Lord, just how can I go up

unless You go with me?

to this valley of decision

where the multitudes I see

 

“I told you  ~ just obey Me

I’ll go up just before

My Spirit now is sweeping

at My threshing–floor“

 

“Believe Me son, I’m in your words

just open and I’ll fill

the words will come like fire

and to your spirit spill“

 

“My heart – your hand – are in the vine

behold, I’ll show you how

your life – My mind – are intertwined

our hearts are fixed to plow“

 

“The fields are ripe forever

I need you son…I do“

I see it God ~ and now I’ll go

I’ll reap them all for you

 

“Sound a trumpet throughout Zion

yet for this…they will not hear

their ears they’ve stopped ~ their hearts they’ve closed

My word they will not bear“

 

“Lift up your voice and cry aloud

and many will believe

and to the nations you must go

your words will be received“

 

“Be not dismayed at what they say

they said it to us all

they’ll pull & twist & push your words

and yet…they will not fall“

 

“I’ll come unto My own first

but many will not come

please labor with Me in your prayers

as I have for you son“

 

“I’ll roll it up ~ I’ll fold it up

and time will be no more

behold I’m coming quickly

please tell them what’s in store“

 

“Like Samuel I have called 4 times

your name My heart has said

gird up your loins ~ take up your staff

go speak unto the dead“

 

“My heart is now within you

My hand your heart I’ll sweep

I need these souls…believe Me

unto Myself to keep“

 

“Please go and I’ll go with you

believe Me and you”ll see

the vineyard and the field are one

a husbandman you’ll be“

 

I know now I’ll obey You

no matter what the cost

point me now to Nineveh

I’ll go and tell the lost