Eyes cast down, heart-weary. Then – eyes lifted and heartbeat quicks

Red. The shame, the passion, the fire, the hate, the love all surface

To collide in this space.

It spills obscene, nothing untouched and eyes are burning, and can I turn from this?

Outrageous grace. Sky-fire to refine the day. I see it now, the Lord’s handcrafted gold for my delight.

Had you forgotten?

This is amazing grace. Blood poured out. Covers all, in all, through all – obscenely spilled.

Eyes cast down again. Now eyes open to blood on my hands – stained at birth. Rusty iron nails clenched within, fingers which bleed from the thorns woven into a crown.

Where to turn from this?

Eyes lift again. Blood red spills, covers all. Hands lift skywards and blood meets blood. The burning kiss of grace.

Hands are cleansed and all is whiter than snow.

Outrageous, inconvenient, redemptive beauty reminds that this is enough. It is finished.