The Wanderer

I had wan­dered off from Heav­en

On the mount­ains cold and gray

When I heard my Sav­ior call­ing

To His lost sheep far away;

How I list­ened as the tear drops

Coursed adown like fall­ing rain

While His ten­der words of pro­mise

Made my spir­it glad again.

Come

oh

come to Me

said Je­sus

Come and I will give you rest

I will take away the bur­den

From the hea­vy la­den breast.

No mat­ter who the wand’rer

Nor how far he’s gone as­tray

Behold

who­so­ev­er com­eth

I will com­fort him to­day.

I was work­ing in the tem­ple

With the Sav­ior by my side

Where the mul­ti­tude as­sem­bled

In its mi­se­ry and pride;

Glancing up­ward from my la­bor

I just caught His dis­tant smile

You have placed your work be­tween us

Come and talk with Me awhile.

Many ear­ly friends had left me

While the va­cant room and chair

Were re­mind­ers of the pric­es

I had paid down to be there;

I was brood­ing o’er my loss­es

When the Sav­ior spoke to me

You have let your sor­rows set­tle

Like a cloud ’tween Me and thee.

Then I saw at once that Je­sus

Could be bet­ter far than all;

He could light­en up the path­way

Could sur­round me like a wall;

He could take the place of loved ones

Wipe the fall­ing tears away

Turn my sor­rows into laugh­ter

Change the night-tide in­to day.

So I heard the Sav­ior call­ing

Come thou wea­ry one away

And my an­swer quick­ly fol­lowed

Lord

I’m com­ing home to­day;

Now His lov­ing arms are round me

And my head is on His breast

While I catch His faint­est whis­per

And my spir­it is at rest.