'Twas Only a Missing Sheep

1 ‘Twas only a missing sheep,
One out of the great wide fold;
‘Twas a wayward sheep and wild,
And had wander’d times untold;
And what if it died alone,
On the mountain bare and bleak?
‘Twas only a sheep that was lost,
Which ‘twere peril and pain to seek.
But the Shepherd answer’d, “I cannot rest,
While My sheep is away from Me;
I’ll call till it comes, and I’ll bring it home,
For I bought it on Calvary!”

2 ‘Twas only a silver coin!
The silver was mix’d with dross;
And it seem’d a worthless thing,
And to lose it little loss;
There were nine brighter pieces left,
That shone like the morning sun;
And why was there need still to search
When the toils of the day were done?
But the Seeker said, “Tho’ the coin be rough,
And tho’ rugged its edges be,
It bears My image,—I cannot rest
Till my lost silver piece I see!”

3 ‘Twas only a prodigal son!
A wanderer far away;
‘Twas a sinner poor through sin,
Getting poorer every day.
And what if he had no friend?
And what if he had to roam?
Would such a wild prodigal son
Be a loss to his Father’s home?
“But though all condemn thee, “The Father said,
Yet not I, for I came to save;
I came to redeem thee from all thy sins,
And to rescue thee from the grave.”

4 The message in Heaven was told;
‘Mid music of Angels’ choirs,
That a son was born anew
By the Pentecostal Fires:
The fatted calf was killed,
The best of the robes was given,
The lost one was rescued again,
As a child of the Kingdom of Heav’n.

Chorus:
Oh, rejoice! rejoice! for the dead one lives,
And the sound of a welcome blest
Is the foretaste sweet of the Angel-Land
And the calm of the Endless Rest.


Source: Hymns of Consecration and Faith #532

• MIDI file from Hymns of Consecration and Faith #532