Song Lyric Sunday: He Ran to Me

The prompt for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday is parent/child relationships. I had hoped that there would be a prompt soon that would give me an opportunity to share my favorite song from this year’s Amritapuri Christmas Eve play with the Song Lyric Sunday readers. Little did I know it would show up on the same day I returned to Seattle from India!

The play, The Loving Father was based on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. Most of the music in the play was original, but they did include a song that is widely used in Christian churches. That song, When God Ran, was written by Benny Lester. Some of the words were changed to fit the script of the play, but most are the same as in the original.

In the Amritapuri play, when the son came home, the father ran to him, took him in his arms, and told him that he loved him. The son had been prepared to beg for forgiveness but there was no need, the father welcomed him wholeheartedly.

A little later in the play, the son sang He Ran to Me as he reflected on his father’s welcome. I still cry every time I hear him sing.

Lyrics

Respected Sir, honored father, immovable rock, successful, gracious businessman
Strong and stern, commanding scores of men, mighty businessman
And the only time, the only time I ever saw him run,
Was when he ran to me, he took me in his arms,
Held my head to his chest, said my son’s come home again
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes, with forgiveness in his voice
He said Son, do you know I still love you
He caught me by surprise
When He ran

The day I left home, I knew I’d broken his heart
But I never stopped to wonder if I was wrong
Yet my time, left me hungry and all alone
I needed him, I came home to plead
And yet from far away, from far away I saw his relief
And then he ran to me, he took me in his arms,
Held my head to his chest, said my son’s come home again
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes, with forgiveness in his voice
He said Son, do you know I still love you

I was so confused, how could he not be angry
With no excuse, he just forgave
I saw him run to me, he took me in his arms,
Held my head to his chest, said ‘my son’s come home again’
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes, with forgiveness in his voice
I felt his love for me

He ran to me, he took me in his arms,
Held my head to his chest and said my son’s come home again…