Abuse comes in many forms and is experienced by women and also men. I wrote this song after a weekend conference about sexual abuse at Jubilee Fellowship in St. Catharines.
The MeToo movement, the missing indigenous women and the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools hopefully makes this song still relevant since it was first written. Is there anyone who does not know someone who has been abused, if not abused themselves?
Come to the Lord with your pain and with your anger
Come to the one who knows and understands
He sees the child within. He hears her whimpering
Wounded sister
Come to the Lord and be made whole by him
No one may treat you as you have been treated
No one may touch you as you have been touched
Your loss of innocence came at a huge expense
Wounded sister
No one may ever do such things again
Look at the hands of the Lord
Scars mirroring your own
Look at the hole in his side. Come and hide
Look at the love in his eyes
Offering paradise
Look at his arms outstretched. Come inside
Wounded sister
Take all the broken pieces to the Saviour
Keep all the good and leave all the bad with him
He will not crush what is bruised. He will not harm or abuse
Wounded brother
You are his child. You are not an alien
Now is the time to speak and break the silence
This is the place to cry and the place to scream
He will not turn away. Please do not be afraid
Wounded brother
He’s here to listen. He’s your dearest friend
Look at the hands of the Lord
Scars mirroring your own
Look at the hole in his side. Come and hide
Look at the love in his eyes
Offering paradise
Look at his arms outstretched. Come inside
Wounded brother
Come to the Lord with your pain and your anger
© Peter Slofstra • 1993 • St Catharines, Ontario