Written in late 2022, I was prompted with the title you read now and felt struck with the notion of exploring the physical strength of Christ Jesus, the God-Man, Who was brought low, becoming as one of us and living as one of us, before He conquered death and ascended into the heavenlies.
In the passion of Christ, His humanity was struck down, humiliated beyond belief, and the hands which once carved wood and healed the sick were nailed to the cross. But praise be to God, this debasement—which He took on for the sake of His sheep—was not permanent, and His death was not in vain nor was it lasting. He has risen! He is alive and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for His beloved.
We live because He lives, we are victorious over sin because He fulfilled the law, and we are not as those who have no hope1 nor are we fools, most to be pitied in all the world2, because Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
May this poem, a paltry effort of worship and adoration to the Saviour King, be a blessing to you this Holy Week.
“Limbs”
Act I Strong arms had He to heave and hew The wood and creations He made Strong arms had He to hold and warm The souls He came to save Firm hands had He to shave and pare The chairs and people He form’d Firm hands had He to touch and ‘way The sick and sin of His own Strong legs had He to drag and bear His labour and law sacrifice Strong legs had He to walk so far To seek and save the flock Firm feet had He to stand in work Providing and making His keep Firm feet had He to go—with love Where publicans and harlots did reap So strong He was for three and thirty, God-man of countless prophecy His prime bore Him so far and wide, the gospel there to take His hands healed many—the cripple, the blind—to point to His good news And when He slept, He always rose again, some wonder new to make Act II So when He was taken, that dark Thursday night Eleven friends dismayed, were left Where? His enduring strength, The brilliant glory of the Transfiguration, Scores of angels, at His eternal disposal Where? Those arms and legs were spent and wan His fingers slipp’d from the cross The crown He bore pushed in His skull Red rivulets, smattered and lost Precious yet spent His back was ripped, hewn to the core Skin, muscle, ligament, Tendon, nerve, vein, and bone And on it dragged a purple robe The skew’d royalty of fallen earth His legs did stumble His arms did tremble The cross fell from His grasp And though carry it no more The war was not yet won He had still to be fixed to its evil embrace His dear, dear hands—once so firm Now nailed to the wood His tough, tough feet—once unyielding Now pierced, and bleeding more His side, ran through Blood and water To prove He’d chosen His time His limbs, not broken A final touch Prophecy kept once more Act III Though weak He now seemed And dead He now was This joyfully was not so For never before, had there been One so strong So firm in the Father’s love These hurts, the blood The gaping holes The grave, the cloth The tomb Oh, these marks, these signs This glorious truth— Naught but a signet of His pow’r! For Christ, He rose, alive today His limbs and body whole ‘tis Grace o’er Law, so sweet the sound His work fulfilled and done! This Christ, this love This Saviour King Is mine, oh mine, we’ve won!
Happy, happy Easter! He is risen, He is alive, He is victorious, and He reigns!
1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 — “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.”
1 Corinthians 15:17–22 — “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (emphasis and italics added)
*** also, I hope the reader will excuse and understand my lack of rhythm and rhyme in the second act as intentional. It seemed natural to echo the perceived chaos of Good Friday, what was such loss and fear on behalf of the disciples, His mother, and all who were followers of the Way (especially in the garden, Judas’ betrayal, their fleeing, during the trial, throughout Peter’s denial, and of course as they watched Him hanging). They did not yet understand that He would indeed rise again and that His death was necessary for their salvation.