Too Small A Price

I awoke to hear the jailer turn the key and push the door 'Get out here!' he shouted, but I stayed there on the floor Frozen in the terror that rose and filled my brain I knew what they intended; I could not face the pain Then soldiers came into the cell and dragged me to the yard They threw me down before a cross and brought the whip down hard 'Carry it!' they shouted, as I struggled to my feet I put my shoulder under it; dragged it to the street I stumbled through a wall of screams as they drove me through the gate It seemed that thousands lined the streets, their voices filled with hate Like a wolf pack in the night that moves in for the kill They closed the gap and followed us as we started up the hill And it seemed I'd barely reached the top when they grabbed me from behind They threw the cross down under me and tied the ropes that bind The arms close to the beams as they nailed the feet and hands And they raised the cross up in the air and dropped it in it's stand Through a blur of pain I saw the cross there next to mine There were people all around it so I looked to read the sign It was nailed there up above His head so the world could see the news That the man who seemed so helpless there was the King of all the Jews The crowd that stood around His cross made jokes about His name They shouted, laughed and spat on Him so I joined in the game I said, 'Hey! If you're the King why don't you get us down from here? The taunt just sounded hollow and it echoed in my ears 'Cause He looked at me with eyes that seemed to reach into my heart They shone a light on all my lies and tore my life apart There was more that lay behind His gaze than simply blood and clay But knowing was too much for me; I had to look away Then I chanced another look at Him as He was looking down Where the soldiers who'd just crucified us drank there on the ground And although He spoke them quietly, somehow His words came through He said 'Father, please forgive them; they don't know what they do' Then as if they'd heard Him speak, the crowd began to roar Whipped to frenzy by the priests who urged them on to more But the worse the accusations, now, the plainer I could see The guilt of the accusers - not the One there next to me Then the man upon the other cross began to curse and swear But his voice was filled with venom as he hurled it through the air When all the horror that was in him and had laid his life to waste Came out in every syllable he flung in Jesus' face And Jesus only looked at him, but something rose inside of me And in spite of all that watched us there, it couldn't be denied Because His righteousness and innocence were shining bright and strong I just couldn't keep my silence and that cursing still went on I cried out, 'Don't you fear the wrath of God even at the end? You'll curse us both into the pit - is that what you intend? We're only getting what we're due - we've sinned our whole lives long But don't you talk to Him that way - He's done nothing wrong!' Then with all my courage, in a voice not quite my own I asked Him 'Lord, remember me when you sit upon Your throne' He answered me and, even then, His love was undisguised He said 'Before the sun has set today, you'll be with Me in Paradise' Well the shouts and curses did not stop even when the sunlight ceased But somehow in the midst of it, my soul had been released And though the agony continued, it was still too small a price To be allowed to hear those words, and to die beside the Christ!