Crucify Him!

"We despised him and rejected him - a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when we went by. He was despised and we didn't care. Yet, it was our grief he bore, our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, for his own sins! But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace. He was lashed - and we were healed! We are the ones who strayed away like sheep! We, who left God's paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on Him the guilt and sins of every one of us!"

Jesus had taken His disciples to the Mt. of Olives on Gethsemane to stay by Him while He prayed. During this long night, they could not keep awake and did not know of all the agony He suffered as He wrestled against the imposing eventuality.

He carried the guilt of sin for all His people upon those precious shoulders and it was weighing Him down. God gave Him the strength He needed to fulfill His mission on earth.

We cannot place the blame of His death on the ones who actually spat on Him and hung Him on the cross. We must share the shame of those ageless words as they shouted, "Crucify Him!"

"Crucify Him!"

The night was a veil of darkness,

Throughout the land was a mode of quietness,

For the dear Son of God was on trial before men.

Was it for justice or was it for sin?

Here was my Lord, standing guiltless before men

And all the crowd could say was "Crucify Him".

Yes, they wanted to crucify my Lord, crucify the only One I love.

How could men hate this One sent from God above?

Just like we do today,

No matter what we do, no matter what we say,

With our sin, we are still crying

"Crucify Him."

He stood before Pilate with His back bleeding

Yet, in all His pain, did you hear Him pleading?

No, not my Lord, He had no defense

Through all His suffering, He kept His silence.

Here was my Lord, standing silent before men

Forgiving the mob who cried "Crucify Him!"

Death could not claim the Lord I love

He is standing at the portals of Heaven above.

He arose from the grave built by men.

He loves even those who cry, "Crucify Him".

Yes, we are nailing Him to the Cross again

We're driving the nails in with our sin,

We are standing with the mob crying "Crucify Him!"

Forgive us Lord, of our sin,

Never again let us stand with them

And never again shout with the crowd as they cry -

"Crucify Him!"

Sara Gardner Blow Ó1987