The Cross – A Poem
Last night I was checking out my newsfeed on Facebook. I was inspired by the status update of a friend who has been posting a thankfulness post every day for November. What she said she was thankful for was the cross. She wrote: “I am grateful that I am not on the cross…though I deserved it, Jesus took my place. I can’t grasp WHY He loves me that much, but I am VERY thankful to Him for paying the price for me!” I’m thankful for the cross, too.
12/2/11 Update: Linked at dVerse Poets Pub for FormForAll – Poetic Devices: Image, Symbol, Metaphor, Allegory.
The Cross
Love bled and
died for you
for me, for all
You ask me
why He died
why would
this King of
kings, & Lord
of lords love
I don’t know – I don’t understand a love so deep and so wide
Jesus laid down His life, the most holy life worth so much more
more than all the jewels and gold and treasure in all the world
It should have been me on that cross; It should have been you
But why does
not matter to
what is most
important for
you and me
Redemption
Mercy Grace
the character
of our God
is Love
He couldn’t
do anything
less than lay
down His
holy life to
reconcile
us with Him
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Well LInda, Certainly your poem is a symbol in itself as are all the things that you refer to throughout. The cross has marked the spot throughout the history of man – it takes on meaning beyond Roman persecution and the crucifixion for it has been woven into myth and legend all over the world. Here you present it as a concrete poem to represent your belief and as a symbol of your faith. Well done.
Gay, Thank you! I hadn’t really thought about it in this way – I have so much to learn about poetic terminology. Your post was such a great lesson, and you’ve continued it here in your comment. Peace, Linda
yes..think we will never understand fully but so thankful he chose to go that way for us… very nice job on the shape as well linda..
smiles. very cool bit of concrete poetry but also the wonderful story contained within as well…what a beautiful love it is as well…
Wonderful, Linda 🙂 Quite beautiful indeed. Thanks for sharing!
I am counting down the days to December 31st, but I hope He will continue to inspire your thoughts as you share your love for Him with us 😉
Blessings,
ann
Ann, You’re too funny! I suspect that after Dec. 31 I will continue to post almost every day, but I am looking forward to not feeling compelled by some challenge to post even on days when I just don’t have time or am not feeling well. Also, I need to start working on a book about forgiveness that’s been percolating in the back of my brain and welling up in my heart of late. It’s hard to work full time, raise a teenager, be on my church board of elders, blog daily, and get anything accomplished on a book. Peace, Linda
Linda, thanx for sharing your beautiful poem. I’m glad I inspired you, but I must share what inspired me. I am taking my LAST ministry class (Exploring Christian Ministry) of the 24 I started a little over four years ago. This class is taught by Dana Benscoter, a good friend, mentor and one who had a big influence along the road that eventually led to my call into ministry. He is great at painting a picture, telling a story, and bringing the call, discipleship and what our mission as disciples is, to life. I missed the first night, I was sick. Monday was the second night of class. One of the guys shared about what Dana had talked about the previous Monday night and the impact it had had on him over the last week. Dana had shown a picture of Jesus on the Cross and talked about how he expresses his gratitude every morning that he (Dana) is not on the cross. In class I began picturing my face in place of Jesus’ face on the cross and like every time I think about it, I began to be overwhelmed with the hugeness of the gift He gave me, the price He paid for ME. It slays me every time I think about it…
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Patty, Thank you for allowing Jesus to use you to be my inspiration for this poem. Your class sounds like a great one. I would love to go back to school and get a theology or divinity degree, but I don’t believe that is really God’s plan for me. Expressing my own gratitude for His sacrifice for me is part of His plan for my life, though, and that is why I write this blog. I completely understand that overwhelming feeling – it brings tears of joy and anguish whenever I really think about it. Peace, Linda
Wow. I really like this. Love the format, it tells a story even without the words. “He couldn’t do anything less…” Y’know, I hate that Jesus had to die that way. I know it had to be, but I can’t reconcile how the cross is beautiful the way everone says.
That was great. : )
Linda, I think I wrote a post once about how beautiful the cross is to me. If I didn’t, I should. It’s a beauty that brings tears to my eyes whenever I think on it too hard. Glad you liked the poem. I enjoyed writing it. Peace, Linda
Thank you, beautiful Linda, for our thankful Thursday poem. I love how you formatted this. I can picture it in gold letters as a bookmark for our Bibles. 🙂
God bless you as you keep us looking to Him and all He has done for us, with thankful hearts.
Deb, My wonderful encourager! I love that idea of making this into a bookmark. I’ve made and laminated bookmarks before for a women’s retreat. There are women in our church who still keep those bookmarks in their Bibles. But none of them had a poem I had written on them. I just may have to make that happen. 🙂 If I do, I will definitely send you one. Peace, Linda
Beautiful!
Just like our Savior! Peace, Linda
Thanks for sharing this great blog and your faith. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
Connie, This blog has become a compulsion pushed forward by the Holy Spirit. Now that I’ve been sharing my faith in this way for over two years, I don’t think I could ever give it up. Peace, Linda