Precious Above All
By Tyler Lloyd
From far away I saw the tree,
And grasped the iron rod,
And pressing forward through the mist,
The narrow path I trod.
But faltering along the path,
I must have dropped my gaze.
From shining light I turned and saw
A building through the haze.
It towered high above the ground,
And people fine and proud,
From ev’ry doorway beckoned me
To come and join the crowd.
It seemed both great and wonderful,
Yet filled my heart with dread.
I turned away and fixed my view
On path and tree ahead.
But ever as my feet moved on,
My thoughts dwelt on the crowd,
Which mocked my struggle down below,
In voices harsh and loud.
The mist pressed close around me now,
I felt its tender strands,
That pulled so softly at my feet,
So gently at my hands.
One strand sang sweetly in my ear,
A soothing melody:
“Why walk this path so long and hard?
Come with us and be free!”
Relaxing grip upon the rod,
And view upon the tree,
I slowed my pace and looked around,
Intrigued by what I’d see.
The fog obscured the distant scene
That I could not resist.
I soon had left the pathway and
Was walking in the mist.
The threads of shadow pulled me on,
My face and skin felt cold.
Yet warmed I was by thick’ning cords
That now took greater hold.
And now and then from distant tree,
A beam of light would shine,
And I perceived these gentle cords
Were chains of dark design.
Before the beams the chains gave way,
Defeated by the light.
But fearing now to lose their touch,
I turned into the night.
I stumbled down my unseen path,
Uncertain and confused.
O’er rocks and pits I fell until
My hands and knees were bruised.
The cords that led so gently once,
Now pulled me to a race,
And tripping down one final slope,
I fell upon my face.
Then glancing up my eyes beheld
A river dark and deep,
And kneeling on that sandy shore,
I soon began to weep.
I shuddered at my bitter fate,
Afraid and lost, alone.
Why had I wandered from the path,
And left the truth I’d known?
I stood once more on weary feet,
And summoned all my will,
Determined to retrace my steps
Back up the treach’rous hill.
But though I tried to climb the bank,
The cords would give no slack,
And whipping at my arms and legs,
They roughly pulled me back.
Then wrapping ‘round my chest and waist,
And strengthening their hold,
They dragged me down the sandy bank,
Into the water cold.
These chains, not soft but sharp and hard,
Now muffled out my scream,
And laughing in my ears they pulled
Me ‘neath the murky stream.
Then sinking down into the depths,
My mind caught on the tree,
And straightway from my heart I cried,
“Dear Savior, rescue me!”
Then suddenly a light appeared
Above me on the sand,
And Jesus, kneeling on the shore,
Reached down and took my hand.
And as he made to raise me up,
My heart was filled with peace,
But still the heavy chains would not
Their rightful prize release.
I wondered then “what could He do?”
I knew the law’s demand.
But reaching down he grabbed a chain
With his almighty hand.
The razor edges cut Him, but
The chain broke with a crack,
And lashing back in fury left
A gash upon His back.
He reached again and broke once more
A heavy chain of sin,
It too recoiled, biting deep
Into His precious skin.
And each strong cord that He undid
Sprang back with all its might,
And threw upon His arms and back
The fullness of its spite.
When I could bear no more I cried
“I don’t deserve such grace!
It is not fair that you should bleed
And suffer in my place.”
With no response, He carried on.
I heard one final crack.
He lifted me, from bonds set free,
And placed me on His back.
Then slowly climbed back to the path –
His blood mixed with my tears.
Somehow His love had conquered sin,
And banished all my fears.
I hoped that He would take me to
The tree with no delay.
Instead He put me on the path
Where first my feet did stray.
Then very gently placed my hand
Back on the iron rod,
And for a while walked with me
The pathway home to God.
And someday when I’ve reached the tree,
I’ll fall down at the feet
Of Him who drank the bitter cup,
And made this fruit so sweet.
