You’ve Called Me ‘Friend’

You’ve called me brother,

You’ve called me friend.

Even though Your will,

I did upend.

You created us to love You,

And drink deep of Your love.

You made us for to know You,

And dwell with You above.

But we did not trust You.

We decided we knew best.

We spurned your gracious warning,

And failed to pass the test.

The test, it was not cruel;

It was a measure of our love.

Would we hold fast to your decrees;

Obey you like the doves?

No, we did not keep Your word,

We split off on our own.

We grew fat and we forgot You,

We despised Your holy throne.

But in Your mercy and Your grace,

You would not allow,

Us to be forever banished;

Tossed over the bow.

Death, it cackled and did laugh,

When first we were deceived.

But next it cowered when You said, 

“Their death shall fall on Me.”

You descended from the heavens,

In full humanity.

Yet, when you did come down,

You retained Your Deity.

As God and man You suffered;

Cried loud and beat your chest.

You drank deep of our sorrow,

And then You said, “What’s next?”

You committed to the Father,

Your short and precious life.

Though Alpha and Omega,

You submitted to the strife.

You wept and begged for mercy;

Asking for a better way.

But nevertheless submitted,

To the Father’s will to pay.

To pay our debt for sin.

For rejecting Your sweet love.

To lay down Your life as ransom,

To bring us home above.

You stooped so low to serve us;

From throne room to the dirt.

You would not let death have us,

You came to take the hurt.

You let them seize and bind You,

Though they fell down at Your voice.

You let them beat and stab You,

It was Your sovereign choice.

Again as death did cackle;

Thinking it had finally won.

You rose back up in glory;

Praise the Father, Spirit, Son!

Now You call me brother.

Now You call me friend.

You died for me and others,

And our brokenness did mend.

Now I call You brother.

Now I call You friend.

King Jesus, you’re my Savior;

And our bond will never end.