Softly and tenderly, lyrics for today — Jim Burklo

New words to an old tent-meeting revival hymn

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
Walking his pathway toward joy and compassion
Calling for you and for me

Come home, come home
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, “Dear searcher, come home”

Leave behind selfishness, fear, isolation
Leave behind hatred and greed –
Hear now the words of his kind invitation
Calling for you and for me:

Come home, come home
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, “Dear searcher, come home”

Up on the mount you can hear the announcement
Mercy for you and for me
Love without limits, forgiveness abounding
Justice for you and for me

Come home, come home
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, “Dear searcher, come home”

Answer his call with your feet on the pathway
Heading for love and for peace
Heading for home in the kin-dom we’re building
Home that’s for you and for me

Come home, come home
You who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, “Dear searcher, come home”


Original tune and lyrics: Will L. Thompson, 1880

Slight changes have been made to Jim’s lyrics for inclusion in Worship Words.

Explore Jim’s blog at http://tcpc.blogs.com/musings

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