Embrace the Cross!

by Tim Palmquist
written March 2004 through March 2005
(This arrangement written March 2006.)

The idea for this song was born in my heart as I sat horrified in a movie theater watching The Passion of the Christ (though I often had to close my eyes, unable to even watch all of Jesus' suffering as depicted in this film). When Mel Gibson was asked to point a finger at the person his movie identifies as responsible for the death of Christ, he boldly stated "I'll be first in the culpability stakes here," admitting that his own sins nailed Christ to the cross. Mel Gibson felt so strongly about this that he actually filmed his own hands pounding the nails through Jesus' flesh. Mel Gibson was responsible for Jesus' death.

I am responsible for Jesus' death. He truly was broken for me. I deserved the death penalty for my sins but Jesus paid the penalty for me.

I also acknowledge the fact that I bear a measure of responsibility for our nation's abortion holocaust. My sin and selfishness has often kept me from allowing God to fully use me to save children from abortion--and this is a serious sin issue, making me guilty of violating all of God's law.

When I recognize the guilt I bear and the penalty I deserve, I can come before God in true repentance--which is necessary for salvation. A person who doesn't think he deserves the death penalty will never be able to fully understand Jesus' death on the cross. To learn more about the key evangelism principle of identifying your own sin and the penalty you deserve, visit www.livingwaters.com. (But if you believe that you are a good person and you don't deserve the death penalty, take this test and see how you rate.)

Many people who watched The Passion of the Christ noticed the connection between abortion--an innocent child, broken in pieces for our sins--and Jesus' death on the cross. At least one abortion staff member quit her job after seeing the connection between abortion and Jesus' suffering. If you have been responsible for the death of an innocent child (one of the "least of these" in whom our Lord said He is present) this song may hurt you. But I hope it will also lead you to repentance, forgiveness and healing. Although I have never personally been responsible for an abortion decision, I have looked into the empty eyes of women leaving the abortion chamber with aching wombs, knowing that I should have tried to do something to prevent this suffering and death.

When I was writing this song, my wife Terri and I were grieving the loss of one of our children--a precious child, miscarried at just 12 weeks. Perhaps through this song God can use the pain we experienced to help someone. If you are hurting after an abortion, I hope that this song ministers to you. If it does, I would like to hear from you.

- Tim Palmquist