Arise My Love!

Arise My Love

Father, dear Lord,

You walked the road to the cross to die.

I have a question I want to ask You,

That question for You is why?

You walked the via dolorosa so long ago.

I often wonder what is the reason?

Logically, there is none, so I don’t know.

As the Spirit touches my heart

And Your word fills my soul

I come to realize the reason for Your action.

It was Your love for my life

You wanted to show.

Your compassion is like none other.

No one else’ love could compare.

You didn’t run or make excuses.

You didn’t complain while You were there.

You endured the cross for You knew what was ahead.

You gave Your life so that

You’d one day say

To many who would receive You as Lord and Savior,

Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord today.

For so long You knew,

Or so to me it seems,

You bore the knowledge of future things,

And still, yet, You wouldn’t flee.

Three times You prayed in the garden.

Three times You prayed heavy hearted.

You knew of the cross of which You would partake.

Yet with love You said

Thy will not mine be done this day.

The time had come to suffer.

Not of the norm but like no other.

Waiting for future glories to come to pass

You glorified the name of Your Father.

You went the distance to the cross

To die for my sins only to go farther.

Yet what You said on the cross

Is what caught my attention.

Father, Your love was so strong

And I saw a wonderful picture of Your compassion.

Your face was red, and torn, Your body mangled by lashes of hate.

The crowd now mocked You when others cheered You days before.

Jesus, with the blood of life falling to the earth,

Looked now toward heaven and said with a heart of concern,

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Lord, I’m unworthy, but appreciative, It’s true,

And all I can say, Father, is THANK YOU!!

I’m the one who drove the crown of thorns into your skull.

It was my sin that mocked You, tore out Your beard, and spit in Your face.

It was my arm that took the whip with bone and glass and metal

That tore the flesh from off Your back, yet still Your desire was to show grace.

Those words I could not shake from my thoughts at that time of scourging,

Those words of selflessness, words of care, words of love and not despair.

But Your love did not stop there as I heard Your next remark.

In agony I can’t imagine, with pain so tremendous it comes as no surprise,

Saying what You said to the criminal who spoke the truth.

“To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

That was love I heard You speak, and could not imagine why.

With words so powerful, simple and true,

You promised that thief he would dwell with You.

Those words You spoke pulled at my heart, and made me think a little more.

You first forgave me, for what, I did not know.

Then You decided to love someone and save a wretched soul.

I thought you were going insane, but then I heard You cry

Something that I never wanted to happen to me, it sent chills up and down my spine.

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” By that I knew God had forsaken You.

The sound of Your cry, the tears in Your eyes,

I did not know how to react, I could do nothing, but let out a distressed sigh.

What was said next, I did not want to hear.

Jesus, I must confess, it was like death unto my ears.

“It is finished,” was Your cry as You looked to the heavens above.

My eyes got big and frightfully wide,

I became short of breath after I heard that cry.

Now, I knew it was the Christ, the Son of God, Whose life I put to end.

That phrase was spoken by the priest after the debt was paid for sin.

I wanted to do something, correct the situation, keepYou alive, but it was too late.

Before Your head dropped You said these words,

So simple they were and few,

“Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit:”

I’m coming home to You.

The result of Your actions, I’m thankful, is everlasting for me.

You did as You said, You rebuilt the temple;

Sin’s shackles were broken, Death had no more sting,

Hell was defeated and the Victor was THE KING!!

Out of the grave You came.

You rolled the stone away.

The debt of sin had been paid,

And Christ our Lord, now, in heaven reigns!!

He arose! He lives again!

Jesus Christ has defeated sin, the very thing that binds us from God’s loving hand.

That cross was for me, but Jesus took it so that I could be set free.

Thank You Father, for that loving act of sacrifice, for now I see

That the rivers of life in my heart do flow,

Bringing joy and gladness everyday and allowing me to know

Heaven is my place of rest, and in Your arms is where I will go.

     With love for our King,

     Marcus Twisdale (Mr.T.)