There I stood, a visitor, from another place and time; There I wandered, aimlessly, the gentle hills to climb. The day seemed just another day on that peaceful countryside; The earth was warm beneath my feet, the sky was clear and wide, And not another soul I met as I wandered hear and there, Just going nowhere special, with ne’er a thought or care.
When something in the distance, a humming, reached my ear. I stood and listened, straining, this tiny sound to hear. It seemed to be approaching, though nothing could I see. So I stood there all eyes and ears and curiosity. The sound grew gently louder as the moments ticked away. The sun was getting hotter, near the middle of the day.
Then, just on the horizon, I saw a swarming crowd. The noise, it seemed, was voices, and continued to grow loud. How nice, I thought, a picnic, on this lovely spring-time day. I wondered, if I asked them, if they would let me stay. So I sat down upon the grass to wait ’til they drew near, And mused myself with hungry thoughts of hot-dogs and root-beer.
But from my peaceful musing I was suddenly alert! A shout! A cry of agony! Somewhere someone was hurt! Up to my feet I jumped so startled was I by the cry And realized, no picnic this, a Man was soon to die! The crowd was led by soldiers, shining helmet, glinting sward, The noise was jeers and shouts and cries to ‘Crucify” the Lord!
And in the midst were gentle cries of those who loved Him still, Who could not understand that this should be the Father’s will. I stood transfixed and speechless, and paralyzed with fear, The angry crowd, with loud abuse, was drawing very near. My mind could not quite grasp the full reality of this Until, as on they passed, my eyes fell silently on His.
His body, bent and racked with pain beneath that awful weight, The burden that He carried there seemed infinitely great, His head was crowned with knotted thorns which pierced His tender skin, His face, with pain and sorrow marred, reflected peace within. For in His eyes, My Lord, His eyes held hope and joy and love! No shame, no guilt, no fear, no hate, just hope and joy and love!
And in that instant when His eyes and mine met I could see That all that He was doing now was being done for me! It was my shame, my guilt, my fear, my hate He carried there, No wonder that the Cross seemed so much more than He could bear! But through all this the weight He bore had never entered in, For in His eyes, His loving eyes, was not a trace of sin.
I ran, then, to the officers, I tried to make them see That Jesus Christ was innocent, the guilty one was me. I ran to Pontius Pilate, I ran to Caiaphas, But no one there could see or hear. I came again at last Back to that gentle hillside where the Prince of Peace I hailed, And watched in tearful silence as His feet and hands were nailed.
I stood there, watching helplessly, and knew within my heart That I was guilty and to this injustice was a part. Each sin that I’d committed, each lie I’d ever told Came swiftly running through my mind and I felt sick and cold. But suddenly I realized, as each wrong came to mind It disappeared and I was cleansed of all I’d left behind.
Each angry word, each unkind deed, each careless hurt I’d caused No more could I remember, they were completely lost. A warmth began to fill me, a warmth I’d never known, As on that Cross He took my sin and made me – ME – His own. I looked into His eyes again as He hung on that tree And realized again that He had done all this for me!
He looked at me again, for He alone could see through years, And smiled, reached down a bleeding hand to wipe away my tears. Rejoice, My child,” He seemed to say, “Today is sin forgiv’n. I go now to prepare a place for you with Me in heav’n. For this is not the end, it is, for you, a brand new start, For through all this I’ve gained what is most dear to Me,… your heart.”
