"Lazarus, come forth". These words He spoke without hesitation No need to repeat them a second time And Lazarus came back from the bonds of death In that other world Where he had been sent Not knowing that his time there was short Because one who loved him Would summon him forth And nothing would be able to hold him there Once that voice called his name For he would have to answer By returning first to his body And Tripping grave clothes Stumble forth From the grave!! Lazarus, come forth!!! I speak to you in the name of Jesus The words that He spoke here Drop your grave clothes Whatever they are And stumble forth from your grave It is that area of your life That keeps you on your knees Before God Begging for forgiveness Time after time After Time After Time!! Lazarus come forth!!! It is the grave of whatever takes your attention And refocuses it on things of God And not on God Himself. As in, "I have to rush to church Fix yourself some dinner." "I'm doing my bible study. Get a bandaid." "God has called me to sing in the choir. He has also called me to do this and that. You'll have to figure out your homework The best way that you can On your own." Lazarus come forth From the grave of staying tied too closely To the world While trying to balance What God has called you to Versus the needs of your friends Your running partners Your buddies. "One little drink won't hurt." "I watch that show for the commercials." "Guns don't kill." Distorting the truth. Closing Jesus out Even on Sunday mornings "I wish that preacher would hurry up. I have my dinner on." "Look at that outfit. It has seen its better days." "Yawn!!I was up very late last night." "I can't go to church Because everyone has seen all of my clothes before." Now, Lazarus, needed no excuses When he heard his name called. he could not leave that grave fast enough Tripping on his graveclothes Because though his spirit was free His body had been bound BECAUSE NO ONE HAD EXPECTED TO SEE HIM AGAIN!!! AND!!! YET!!! THERE HE WAS!!! TRIPPING FORTH FROM THE GRAVE!!!! LAZARUS CAME FORTH!!! God wants us to be free of whatever binds us He wants us to hear our names As He calls us forth from the grave Of whatever it is That keeps us fettered Unable to move Mired in the dirt Stuck!! Needing to answer Jesus!! Jesus!!! I would be free But this muck in which I am mired Has gotten a hold of me And I can't seem to free myself Jesus!! Jesus!! Set me free with your wonder working power Set me free to praise you This muck in which I am mired Looked very inviting from afar It caused me to lose All that I held dear And Jesus!!! Jesus!! I would be free!! Set me free to praise you!!! Freedom!!! 8/6/97