TEARS OF JOY

My heart ached with grief as I thought of the cross,
And the pain Jesus suffered for me,
For it was MY sin that He took on Himself
As His blood flowed on dark Calvary.


I saw the compassionate tears in His eyes
As He died on that tree in my place,
And knew by His death He had ransomed my soul,
Giving life through His infinite grace.


I wept at the nails driven into His hands..
Through His feet. with hatred and scorn,
And watched as His mother looked helplessly on
At His body, so mangled and torn.


I felt His great love as He prayed for the ones
Whose sins He forgave by His death,
And heard Him cry out to His Father above
As He gasped, till He drew His last breath.


But tears turned to joy when the stone at the tomb
Was rolled by the angels away,
And Jesus came forth in triumphant new life,
Crushing death on that first Easter day.


My heart is now full of the wonder and joy
That I felt when He set my soul free,
So I'll joyfully praise Him till earth is no more,
And in Heaven His face I shall see.

by Betty Jo Mings

© 2004

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