blood

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded,  Grieve, mourn, and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.  (James 4:8-10)


Lamb of God,
I smell the blood
on the skin of the world.

Blood.
Dripping from your wrists,
landing on my cheek.
Here before me I see
the fresh sacrifice
of my slaughtered God
splattered with hot,
crimson
blood.

Blood.
On my conscience.
On my hands.

I keep trying to wash it off
but it refuses to go away.

I was the one who willingly drove the nails
into your outstretched hands.

Forgive me.
(A Heart Exposed by Steven James)