No More Tomb

The Place of the Skull lay right before me—your precious gift of sacrifice calling. “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they do.”  Your heart beat on that cross for me. Your love bled without price to melt the prison of my selfishness. I breathed your agony as you waited for release. Just before your heart ceased, I realized that the greatest promise was about to enfold this struggling world. With your last breath, it was finished. Love fulfilled its purpose. Grace met the rigid wall of my stubborn heart, and love called my name.

As I turned from the place you had died, new life beckoned. I knew this was not over. I couldn’t draw enough of you into my heart. You loved me with all you had to give, and now I yearned to love without reserve. You forgave, and now I longed to forgive without regard. The tomb waited where they laid your broken body. The gift of your life drew me without thought—without ulterior motive. It drew without regard to man’s opinion or his judgement. You had given pure love with nothing expected in return. And now I was drawn to your tomb to seek the unselfish love that gave life for my besieged heart.

My broken heart was called to come within the small opening. My shattered life was drawn into the tomb where yours had been placed. So I entered. You had escaped this tomb through the love you had given at the Place of the Skull. You were not here! You had risen! Your love had conquered the pain of my selfish heart, and your unrestrained grace had set me free to forgive as I had been forgiven. Grace had met the rigid wall of my selfishness, and melted my resistance. I could breathe.

I stepped from the tomb into the garden. Your hand lay upon my heart. There was no me. There was only release from the bounds of my own tomb. There was only your love so pure and flowing that only one word could explain. I could now forgive and love as I had been forgiven and loved. I was free.

© 2018 Lynn Lacher

www.lynnlacher.com