The Cost of the Cross

As I walked through valleys dim And suffered earthly loss I thought I had learned the price It was to take up my cross And then one valley deep and dark I fell upon my knee The cross I carried weighted down Seemed too much for me I looked back at where I’d been And counted every loss With tears of pain and agony I cried “What more could be the cost?” In a quiet answer, in a sweet voice I heard Him so near “I haven’t asked you to give up much Your vision isn’t clear.” And then I felt the cross get lifted As He picked me up, “Let’s take a look, but first I give You water from my cup.” Deep I drank from Living Water To quench this thirsty soul Deep I sank into the arms Of the One who makes me whole When I was rested, free from despair He whispered once again, “Let’s take a look my child at just What you think you’ve given…” And so He turned me around To the pathways I had trod And began to show me clearly What it meant to follow God. “You see there child, “ came that voice So gently to my ear “I had to strip away some things That you thought were dear, There were things you thought were good But kept you fast in sin, Then there were choices that you made Apart from my plan, And even then I called to you But you would not hear So when you fell and cried to me I again brought you near And, yes my child there was Some loss but only by your choice There’s always heartache when You don’t follow my voice So though it has seemed painful These things had to go For Only then could you see love And of grace ever know.” Then He handed me the cross I could not bear alone With gentle hands he steadied me, With grace His eyes shone He began to lift the chains I had added to my cross Burdens that hindered me And caused His kingdom loss Fear and worry heavy there With guilt and shame And countless others lifted He Far too many to name “These,” He said, “Were never yours But you would not let go, You see I paid for all this So very long ago The cross you carry did cost much – The blood of THE LAMB Sent from your loving Father The Great I AM When I said to count the cost Of taking up this cross I was not talking about any Earthly loss I wanted you to understand To follow is not cheap You should not take lightly the cost It was no ordinary sheep. My blood refines the soul of man, Sets the captives free It is this blood that cries out And draws the sinner to me” With tears I understood What I had loss was my gain It was all for my good Every joy and every pain. When I looked back I could see Just how grace had covered me And that grace was give To set this captive free.