The Picture Of Love

I watched The Passion for the first time last Sunday. Have any of you seen it?  It was not an easy movie to watch.

 The Picture of Love

I thought I knew

What Your love

Looked like,

As I stared at the beautiful picture

Of a perfect cross,

Highlighted by glowing sunset colors.

I knew the story and

Foolishly thought I had seen

The extent of that power,

The beauty of the cost,

The wonder of that sacrifice. . .

But I was

Wrong,

So very wrong.

Sometimes

The beautiful picture of love

You chose to paint

Gets lost from my view.

It does not tear my heart

Or cause me to weep

Or remind me to praise.

Sometimes

I look at the pretty sunset picture

That only pricks my heart,

Instead of the

Beaten

Bloodied
Broken

Dying form

Of the One

Who took my place.

The horror of Your agony

Should drive me

To my knees.

The pain of what You endured

For me

Should break my heart every time

I hear it.

The picture of Your death

Isn't a perfect cross with a colored sunset sky.

The picture of Your death is

You stumbling

Under the weight of the cross

As blood stained the sand.

The picture of Your death is

The crowds jeering

As You hung there,

Hearing Your mother cry.

The picture of Your death is

Your blood pouring down

And your anguished cries as You

Died.

For me.

Me,

A broken, retched sinner:

Undeserving

Unworthy,

Your enemy.

The beauty of that love

Should fill me

With gratitude.

The wonder of such a love

Should shake me to my very core.

You love me

With a love I can not

Ever comprehend

Or fully express.

That love kept You

Hanging there,

When You could have called

And been released.

That love painted a picture

That fairly screams,

“I love You this much!

Enough to be

Betrayed,

Mocked

Whipped,

Beaten and

Crucified;

That is My love for you.”

Please Lord,

Don't let me look away

From what You did

For me.

Break my heart

And make me ache

When I think of You.

Oh please

Remind me of the

True picture

Of Your love

Painted in

Your innocent

Blood.

~ZA

Copyright © 2012 Ophelia M. Flowers

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