Softly & Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
Will Thomson regularly went to New
York City to sell the secular songs
he had written. He made so much
money from his compositions that
he was called millionaire songwriter.
But Thomson began to concentrate
on hymn writing and set up his
own firm for publishing hymnals.
And two million copies of his
gospel quartet books were sold.
Around 1880, when Thompson
was 33 years old, he wrote this
invitational hymn: Softly & Tenderly.
Lord, we will Come to You:
Then Jesus said: Come to me, all
of you who are weary & carry heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you. Let Me
teach you, because I am humble
and gentle at heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For My yoke
is easy to bear, and the burden
I give you is light (Matt 11:28-30).
Lord, this hymn prompt us to come
back to You after wandering around.
You are so merciful Lord to receive
us back as Your children. It doesn’t
matter what our sins may be, You
always wants us back. And You will
cleanse us & make us white as snow.
And when we walk back to You,
You will welcome us with open arms.
No matter how far we go, You
tenderly tell us we’ve not gone
too far to come back home. Amen.
Lord, thank You for loving us so
much and desires all man will come
to You; for it is You who will truly
give us Rest from our weariness.
Jesus is never tired of waiting
and watching out for us, telling
us: Come home and find Peace.
You Lord has led me many times
in singing, “Softly and Tenderly.”
For I can always come to You
and recieve Your abundant mercy.
And no matter what my life holds,
I can say Jesus is calling. Amen.
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals
He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me…
Refrain: Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!!
Why should we tarry
when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger
and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?