FORGIVEN
drawn by
Thomas Blackshear
after all I've done
to Him
He still comes
to me with those
eyes of His filled
with compassion
still wrapped in
His hooded cloak
like the time just
before the beating
He endured that
I could have stopped
but decided not to
after all how dare He
claim to be God
just a man anyway
I didn't even feel shame
as the council bought
false witness against Him
but as He carried
that cross not crying
out in His pain
collapsing silently
onto the road
I saw that even
from Golgaltha's crest
where I waited for Him
this so called Savior
this so called King
this man named Jesus
I had a job to do
I held the spikes
I held the hammer
I nailed Him
to that cross
I didn't even bother
to stay until He died
the fate I thought
He deserved
afterwards
after the passover
came the rumors
of the disappearance
at the tomb
I didn't understand
as I watched His followers
and I learned
that these people
were different
I followed them
at a distance
for days not knowing
why I even bothered
until one day
as I gazed at the
crowd of His followers
I SAW HIM
JESUS
alive again!
I rushed forward
His followers parting
like a mighty sea
until I stood before Him
looking into those eyes
then I turned my back
ashamed of my actions
my tools somehow
appearing in my hands
quietly He wrapped
His gentle arms around me
in a loving embrace
and whispered but one word
into my ears
FORGIVEN
Paul Vernon Deffendall
January 10,1996
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