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How quick we are to criticize,
How quick we are to hate,
How easy it's to strike and hurt,
Plot and retaliate.

But He knelt in the garden
In agony to pray,
To free us from the pain and hurt
The fruit of Cain's dark way.

How quick we are to doubt Him,
to justify our wants,
to find a reason to strike out,
Harsh words and angry taunts.

But He bore taunts to free us,
A crown of piercing thorn,
The harsh bite of the burning whip
To help us be reborn.

How quick we turn away from Him
For what a heart of darkness brings,
Power, lust, and anger
We choose as finer things.

But He let them lie about Him,
Condemn Him for no wrong,
So that He might open up the door
To save us from night's song.

How quick we lie about Him,
To weaken his bright light,
To use Him as a reason
To make our wrong our right.

But for us He took that heavy cross,
And walked that last hard road,
To save us from our hurting wounds,
Sin's dark and heavy load.

O open up our cold, hard hearts
And see you standing there,
The hand outstretched and pierced for us,
The depth of love and care.

O let us feel your loving touch,
And know the wrong we do,
And falling on our knees, O Lord,
Open up to you.

Forgive us, Lord, for loving dark,
Then crying from its pain,
O let us see the truth we've wrought,
The dark that is our stain.

O may we be as quick, O Lord,
To turn our hearts to you.
Guide us to your morning light,
Our hope, reborn, anew.