THE MAN UPON A CROSS - BY HOLLY VALE

I hang here on this cross in this blistering heat, the searing cold.

Rome caught me, punished me, flogged me, hung me.

I did wrong in the eyes of man and definitely in the eyes of God. 

I deserve my fate, I think as I hang here waiting.

I was lifted here on this cross with no watchers, alone.

My life has pushed those I love away, rightly so.

Now I hang here in pain, bleeding, waiting, longing. 

Longing for that last breath, for this to be over. 

I can see so far from my hanging place on this hill.

The crowds are coursing through the streets, up the paths.

The whole time I've been up here I've not seen such a ruckus.

Footsteps, yelling, screaming, jeering. This criminal must be terrible. 

I get a glimpse of the figure dragging his own cross, slumped and weary. 

Why are they screaming so ferociously for his death? 

I see the blood that runs down his face, then see that crown upon his brow. 

What savagery, what hatred and malice. Why? What has he done?

The crowd keeps screaming to crucify him, crucify him! 

He must have killed, robbed or stole. 

The sea of haters seem to go on forever behind him.

Maybe this man also deserves to be here with me on this hill.

Then I hear the words of the jeering centurions,

"Hail King of the Jews! Look at this King in his robe and crown."

I've heard of this man, I thought he was good, loving and kind. 

Why are they nailing him up here on a tree next to mine?

He finally reaches the top up where I'm hanging.

Between me and this murderer is his punishment. 

They lay the cross upon the ground, lay the man down, arms stretched out wide.

Then it begins, that sound of the hammer, the nail piercing flesh.

Bang, bang, bang, bang. Each hit sends the nail deeper into his hand.

Bang, bang, bang, bang. The other hand is secured to the wood. 

Bang, bang, bang, bang. Both feet impaled, fixed, there they remain.

The blood flows. The pain is heard. The crowd keeps cheering and yelling for death.

The guards start the process of lifting the cross high.

Maybe he is a king like they say, now looking down on his subjects. 

I don't know how I feel about seeing such hatred toward him.

Didn't he heal all their sick, lame and weary?

The cross slams into place in the hole they dug for him.

You can see the pain and tearing of flesh. 

Still they yell and call out, "If you saved others, then save Yourself!"

I don't think I've ever seen such hatred in human eyes. 

I look at the man hanging to my side, hurt in those loving eyes.

I hear the words that stream from his mouth,

"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

What have they done? Who are they killing?

Then a game, a gamble is happening at his feet. 

They are playing for this man's seamless robes. 

The soldiers cast lots, roll dice, and take this death so lightly. 

Shouldn't they be scared? Can't they see what they are doing?

The soldiers keep mocking him, laughing at him, taunting him. 

They come to him with sour wine for him to drink. 

"If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself", they joke.

As they hang a sign which reads, This is the King of the Jews.

On the mans other side was a hateful creature, a true criminal.

He yelled and mocked along with the crowd.

He said while laughing, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us too!"

He laughed at the man that hang inbetween us, hurt and pain in his face.

I couldn't take the jeers any longer, the rage boiled inside. 

I screamed, "Do you not fear God?" Looking at the other criminal.

"You're under the same sentence of condemnation." 

"We deserve to be here hanging on this cross, but this man has done nothing wrong."

I felt in my heart such lose for this world, for my people. 

I looked at the King next to me, pleading I asked Him sincerely,

"Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom!"

He smiled at me and said, "Truly I say to you, you shall be with Me in Paradise."

Then the atmosphere shifted and darkness fell upon the land. 

Fear raised up deep inside me, God is looking down on these people. 

They are hurting, killing His Beloved Son. 

The darkness lasted for hours and silence fell all around. 

In shock I look over at this Jesus beside me.

What could this darkness really mean?

Then I hear Him loud, clear and anguished,

"Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?" "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?

A loud noise rumbled and shook the ground below us.

And a tearing, ripping sound was heard by all. 

Jesus cried in a loud strong voice, "It is finished!".

And that was it, one last breath is all He took, and silence was what remained. 

I saw a centurion below, in shock and awe.

He started praising our Yahweh, praising our God, Adonai. 

"Certainly this man was innocent! Truly this was the Son of God!" He sang. 

And all the crowds that had come started beating their breasts and left in defeat.

I looked in the distance and saw women crying.

Men and women on their knees in intense grief and pain. 

Galileans they looked like, they must be His followers. 

Heartbreak was the sound that played through the air.

I hung there a long while with Jesus dead next to me.

Grief filled my heart and my whole spirit, such loss for this world.

I looked to the sky, to God my Lord and Life and pleaded with all I had left. 

"Father, forgive me, forgive us all for this. Take me into your loving arms."

My head slumped, my heart slowed, my legs sagged.

I gasped for breath, again and then another. 

Then I gave it all to Him. This life I wasted, that I took for granted,

Was blessed by dying with Him.