The Prodigal

I came across this video recently on YouTube. It uses a song from our Sons & Daughters album, The Prodigal, written by the brother/sister team of Ryan and Meghan Baird.

When I first watched it, I was unexpectedly moved by the way the animation communicated the meaning of the lyrics. I quickly forgot that I was watching a video and was drawn into the reality of the Father's intimate, forgiving, personal love for those he has made his own in Jesus Christ. Good art has a way of pointing our eyes to what matters most.

Here are the lyrics:

You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life

Where now are the friends, that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh, to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house

You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy's robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child
© 2009 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

I did some research and found out that a guy named Chris Powers made the video. Chris recently graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio with a major in Video Production. He got married last August and since then he's been working as Video Director at Grace Community Church. He puts videos like this together for his church, but I'm sure he'd be open to outside work. If you'd like his email address, contact me.

And may his tribe increase, for the glory of the Savior.

Bob Kauflin travelled with the Christian group GLAD for eight years as a songwriter and arranger before becoming a pastor with Sovereign Grace Ministries in 1985. He is now the Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace, overseeing its music projects and teaching on congregational worship. He blogs at Worshipmatters.com and hosts the biennial WorshipGod Conference. He and his wife, Julie, have six children and an ever-growing number of grandchildren.