Take on Me

I praise you Lord for your mighty strength, for your prowess in battle on my behalf.  Just the thought of Your glorious presence is enough to cause my heart to tremble.

My enemies are arrayed against me; I am powerless to defend myself.  I am forced to watch, helpless as the enemy of all that is good sets out his heinous siege works against my home and my family.  Certainly we will be consumed if You do not come quickly to our aid.  As swift as lightning crosses the sky, You are upon Your enemy.  Your sword flashes again and again as Your enemies are stricken down.  The carnage is too terrible for me to behold; I do my best to shield my son and my wife from the scene.  Suddenly, as quickly as it began, combat is ended.  Your mighty strength in battle is instantaneously matched by your tender mercy, as you take me and my family into Your arms.  I celebrate your victory with joy.

It is only then that I see Your son.  I cry out in horror as as Your enemies gather around Him.  The demons approach, cautiously, fearfully; Your son is silent before them.  Then, they attack.  They strike Him again and again.  The way is cleared for a large, reptilian creature, armed with a cruel whip, strewn with jagged bits of metal.  I cry out again, begging You to rescue Your son.  You just hold us tighter.  Your son is mocked, beaten and whipped horribly.  Increasing the cruelty still further, the torture is stopped before the point of death.  Now they are leading Him; they are forcing Him to walk, carrying the instrument of his impending execution.  The demons celebrate with glee as Your son is lashed and then nailed to a cross.  As He dies, I see a tear in Your eye.

“Why didn't You save Him?”  I scream, unable to comprehend what I've just seen; “how could You let Him die?”

You respond with a single word, “Behold.”

In the midst of their celebration, the demons pause; what was that sound?  Shuddering, they turn to look at Jesus.  He was dead, of that there was no doubt.  Equally certain and beyond belief, He is now alive.  With a voice like thunder, He shouts.  As He brandishes a sword, the demons shriek and flee for their lives.  For a time, they are allowed to escape.

“Someday,” You say, “my Son will finish this fight”.

I praise you Lord for your mighty strength, for your prowess in battle on my behalf.