Echoes of Sacrificial Grace #83

Echoes of Sacrificial Grace In selfless devotion's sacred light, A noble truth doth gleam so bright, "Greater love hath no one than this," Echoes Jesus, in selfless bliss, To lay one's life for friends, a sacrifice so right. Ponder deep, the bond so rare, With one so noble, beyond compare, Desiring naught but to intertwine, In every moment, sacred and divine, Understanding hearts, in silent, loving prayer. Jesus, with love for God so true, Extended this love, in actions anew, Not in mere words did his compassion rest, But in deeds and sacrifice, he expressed, As the cross loomed, his purpose grew. "You have the poor always," he did say, Yet, "You don’t always have me," on that day. A lesson not of presence over need, But to cherish his teachings, his word to heed, In fleeting moments, before he'd fade away. Behold the frailty in human guise, Disciples, in doubt and fear, their spirit tries. Peter's denial, Thomas's doubt, Fishermen's return, faith in drought, In living Jesus' word, the true challenge lies. A 'good shepherd,' so Jesus proclaimed, Not just in death, but in love unfeigned. His sacrifice, more than a mortal parting, A testament of love, forever starting, To guide, to teach, in trials unnamed. Thus, as he faced his final night, He bolstered faith, set hearts alight. His life, his death, a beacon so grand, In unconditional love, he made his stand, "Amazing Grace," in sacrificial sight. -Written by Steven G. Lee (January 19, 2024)