At the foot of the Cross

I watched!
I watched on as these merciless Romans manhandled Him
As hard as it was to keep watching, I also couldn't keep my eyes off Him.
Talk of Blood, Bruises and Wounds.
It was as if the very skin disliked the flesh on which it was on.
His whole body covered in red,
Wet and moist, soaked and mixed with Blood and sweat.
The tears in my eyes blurred my vision.
But as hard as I tried to wipe my tears to see clearly,
Still could not recognize His face.
So much blood on His face from the wicked excuse of a crown.
Face disfigured, out of shape.

As did the loved ones around him,
We burst into weeping!
We couldn't take it anymore.
Our friend, our brother, our teacher!
He was that close to us.
We kept shouting, as we wept,
"What has he done?!", "Its okay!", "Let Him Go!" He's Innocent!"
Of course, these fell on deaf ears.
All this was just seconds before He reached the crucifixion site.
Golgotha!, That place of skull

One helmeted Roman gave him a strong push.
As if to get Him quicker to the final destination.
He was totally drained and couldn't move any faster than He was.
He came tumbling down with the rocks and stones being His new friends.
With pieces of stones and gravels scratching His skin as He fell.
It made no difference though. There was already blood everywhere.
The flow of Blood created a trail every step He took.
I screamed and made a run for Him. To try to help!
Another helmeted Roman pushed me away so violently I could hardly stand on my feet.
Mary rushed to picked me up as we inched the closest we could possibly get.
I watched his tired, disfigured body as the soldiers prepped the wooden cross they were going to lay Him on.

Then my mind traveled back.
To the days I remember where ...
We would go to the synagogue and watch in amazement, wisdom pouring out of His mouth
Answering and clearing the doubts of many with questions
Feeding us when we hungered
Giving us a tasty a drink
Laughing and making merry with us visiting Zacchaeus
Mourning with us when we thought we had lost Lazarus

We didn't have much as we followed.
Places to sleep and what to eat were always in question.
But each day we followed, someway, somehow,
We got daily bread and shelter.
You were our provider and you really did provide.

What do we do then as these helmeted individuals slowly drain the life off of you?
Who's is going to be with us and relate with us like you were?
Feed, lead, provide and protect? Who?

I could hear the words... faintly of a woman crying close to me.
Took a closer look and it was the woman who was caught committing adultery in the open and was about to be stoned.
She was mumbling about how her "savior" was going so soon
when she had just started to know Him.
"Oh saving hand, art thou fallen
In the hands of your adversaries thou surrender
Where is my Hope?
Where is my savior?
My counselor,
Whose words, sweeter than honey
Whose word, breaks free the oppressed"

These were but a little I could hear!

I continued watching as these wicked inhumane Romans
Carried His body and placed His back on the Cross and dragging His body to fit.
And finally, the most surprising thing happened.
I expected these soldiers to have a little bit of dignity but no!
All dignity was lost!!
As if he didn't deserve the garment left on Him,
They stripped it off Him and threw it to the side so it did not obstruct their work.
How could man be so wicked!
*sighs*

The only thing covering His nakedness?
His Blood!
I watched as the soldier randomly selected a nail from the bag of huge industrial nails.
These were masonry nails. Huge and rugged!
As one man held His hand another placed the nail to his wrist.
And while He tried to free his wrist from the grip,
with the little strength He got, trying to avoid the nail,
The hammer came through.
Baim!
The was a loud scream obviously from a Man in pain
A scream so heart felt from within.
The depth of the cries felt like weeping for mankind.
At this point I shut eyes.
This is too hard to behold.
Hearing a mix of hammer hits and screams.
I just couldn't imagine that there would ever be a time like this!
Ever!

As I slowly opened my eyes, I made eye contact with one of the soldiers.
He shouted brutishly, pointing at me!
"Do you wanna take His place?"
"Do you wanna Join Him?" Huh?
I shifted my eyes to see Look at Him, Jesus on the cross.
He slowly moved His eyes to meet mine.
As if to tell me to answer the question.
I cringed! My heart raced faster than ever! Huh? I couldn't say yes.
I couldn't have!

I really couldn't get myself to the realities of my iniquities.
I should have been on that cross!
I should have been nailed to it!
I should have gone through that suffering.
And yet someone. An innocent person at that,
came to take my place and said...
its free!
Free? Really, all this for Free? I don't understand!
I guess this is what makes you God and me man

I watched as they lifted the cross upright.
Then this line of a popular song came to my mind

"I'll never know how much it cost,
to see my sins upon the cross"

You did all this just because of the Love you have for me
which surpasses all understanding. Its true.
I really don't understand.

And all I can say is ... Thank You for the Free Gift of Salvation!

Inspired by "When God walked the earth" - Rick Joyner
Thank You Holy Spirit

+Albert