i.
walking the road to jericho
i came upon a beaten man
whence he came i did not know
but he entered without a plan
into the valley of the shadow of death
bleeding, mutilated, bruised
i held his head in my hands
and looked at him confused
as he lay upon the hot sands
struggling for every painful breath
i took him to the inn i knew
told the innkeeper to care for him
that i would be back in weeks few
to rest his bones, fill his cup to the brim
i will pay whatever the cost needed
later, when i returned from travel
the man’s wounds were gone
and his story began to unravel
of how the priest and levite passed on
no matter how loud he achingly pleaded
ii.
the woman at the well told me
of this prophet who was anointed
amazed, i asked where was He
joyfully, she led me and pointed
there is He who knows the unknown
i listened as He taught the crowd
of water that lives, bread that satisfies
puzzled, i pushed forward, at His feet bowed
tell me, tell me the truth about my lies
He told me the King had descended the throne
iii.
they came for Him at the garden
in the morning, i could not find Him
where did He go? where is He?
the day feels the same as the last
but gloom shrouds my heart
i followed the procession in the streets
to the hill of the skull, death, hell
watched my Lord die, as beaten as the man i saved
watched Him struggling for every painful breath
i will pay the cost, just stop this!
iv.
two days dark
lonely troubled times
i am paralyzed
scared to death
what happens now?
v.
glorious day! the third day!
risen indeed, i heard the news
God heard me suffocatingly pray
for a reversal of every stripe and bruise
o death, where is your sting?
though He ascended to His place
the promise of the return stands
covered by His precious grace
cradled by His calloused hands
to Him your troubles bring
vi.
they came for me after
a samaritan and a christian, say the jews
a deluded dog, followed by incessant laughter
with him who believes the way, trouble brews
therefore, let him be shown the true light
renounce and you are free to go home
saul, show him why he should
saul, start with his thumb
stay still, keep quiet, be good
do you see it yet, is it in sight?
keeping my mouth shut despite pain
avoiding the barbed insidious darts
attempting to poke holes in my brain
and my belief, my life, my—it hurts
our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
i have become the man on the road
i do not recognize my own face
all actions to my jailers but goad
and invite another blow to taste
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven
vii.
the grave was cold, the trial hard
but the reward is sweet and fulfilling
i have traveled the jericho road far
but i was ready and willing
and now i see again the Son of man
i saw paradise in the beating
i withstood the narrow road of jericho
to be in a place of eternal feasting
an immortal celebration, ergo
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen