Please Forgive Them

by Debra Elliott
(Birmingham AL)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

My body is racked with pain.... searing,piercing pain. The kind of pain only death can quell.

I see the crowd looking upon my tattered and bruised body. I see the faces of the believers, of the sinners through my blood drenched eyes.

Some laugh, some cry. I want to scream, WHY,WHY?

My body is dying, the crowd cheers as I am poked and prodded to see if I still breathe."Am I not flesh? Am I not a man, like you?"

"You cut me I bleed, you nail me to a cross I DIE!"

I died for the sinner who did not believe I was the Messiah, I died for the believer who knew I WAS!

My death did not come quickly, I died a slow, agonizing death.

The crowd yells, "Jesus, Son of God save yourself. Where's the miracle of your God?"

I say aloud, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

I am dead now, my head hangs down, but still I am prodded and pierced just to be sure. The Roman's don't want the false prophet performing any miracles on their shift.

I am taken off the Cross of Death... my family is saddened, the believers are mournful, the sinners are rejoiceful that the trouble maker is dead..

I am cleansed of the blood and wrapped in the clothing of the dead and taken to my burial place.

I lie there three days heavily guarded, just to be sure no miracle will occur and I AM REALLY DEAD!.....

My final resting place is not there, but in the arms of my Father...

A place all believers will one day be, because I died for the sinner, so he may live.