An eager, youthful voice I hear
Asking for bread a father dear;
For he had strayed into the wild,
And wandered far, the thoughtless child,
Till hunger gnawing in his breast
Had sent him home with this request.
And will his father give instead
A stone to him that asks for bread?
If for a fish a venomed snake
Will he persuade his child to take?
Ah, no! the father will arise
With love and pity in his eyes,
And fill the suppliant hand outspread
With bounteous store of finest bread.
And will not God, our God, much more
Give from His love's unbounded store
All needful things-the Spirit's grace
Our souls to bless, instruct, solace.
Oh! let His children haste to prove
Their Heavenly Father's yearning love;
And to His throne of grace repair,
And ask in earnest, pleading prayer,
That to their needy souls be given
The bread of life, sent down from heaven;
That living bread His grace supplies,
And whoso eats of never dies.
Oh, Father, give thy children bread,
Our souls are waiting to be fed;
From Thee we would not longer roam,
Our Father Thou and 'heaven our home.'
Thy love we crave, thy Word believe;
We ask, we hope we will receive.