Arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane,

You could have called on heaven’s armies;

yet You allowed them to take You captive.

Falsely accused in a mockery of a trial,

You could have denied who You were;

yet You convicted Yourself.

Physically and emotionally abused,

You could have struck down your tormenters;

yet You remained silent and turned the other cheek.

On the way to the cross,

You could have thought only of yourself;

yet You spoke with compassion to Jerusalem’s daughters.

Nailed to the cross and spit upon by the crowd,

You could have cursed Your enemies;

yet You prayed, “Father, forgive them.”

Taunted to “Come down from the Cross!”

You could have done exactly that;

yet You chose to suffer and die

that I might have the choice

to live in You!

© Copyright 2004 by Marlene Bagnull (Write His Answer.