Beloved…
		 I see you and I am overwhelmed. Even the thought of
looking upon your face, of meeting your gaze…
					…it captivates me. 
You have stolen my heart; you have stolen my heart with one
glance of your eyes, and as I think of you, I struggle to
breathe…. 

				…I am lovesick for you, beloved.
	My heart is yours. I give you everything that I have,
everything that I am. I want you so passionately, I need you
so desperately, I will do anything to be with you.  


I formed your likeness to my very own; you have been
wonderfully and fearfully made. You are my masterpiece, and
I marvel at the beauty I have crafted into your very being.

And now…
	…as you watch my blood flow, as you see my tears fall
		…as your heart is gripped with the pain I endured and
you struggle even to admit the harshness of the truth…
					…there is something you need to know. 
It was all for you, my love…

		…all for you, my child. Every tear, every drop of blood,
every lash of the whip, every cry of pain, every agonizing
breath, every moment of torture and every second that I
endured becoming every wretched, detestable, horrible thing
that has been before or will ever be…

				…I could have said no…

just ask the ten thousand angels who stood on the edge of
heaven, waiting for me to call to them. I could have called
them down to rescue me, to display the greatness of my
power, so that I could be glorified and rescued and spared
from enduring the unfathomable anguish of that day. 
	But I just couldn't do it.

 No matter how I longed to end the pain, no matter how the
suffering bore into my bones, I just couldn’t say no. 
	Every time the temptation came, I saw your face. Every time
I wanted to run, I heard your laugh. Every time I wanted to
give up, my heart pounded with a longing and a love for you
that is deeper and wider and longer and higher than any love
that has ever existed. 
	I know it must be hard for you to see. It can't be easy to
watch as they ripped and tore and shredded my body into an
indistinguishable mass of blood and flesh. I am sorry if it
hurt you. I am sorry if seeing the truth made you cry. 
	But I had to do it, baby; I couldn't say no. Because you
see, no matter how much it hurt to have the razor sharp
whips and the pieces of glass cut deeply into my skin, no
matter how much pain I endured as I was ceaselessly beaten
and mocked and kicked to the ground, no matter how much
agony I experienced as I hung on that cross in humiliation
and shame, there was something that hurt me even worse.

	It was the thought of losing you. 

	My love, you are everything to me. And even knowing that
this suffering might be in vain, even knowing that you might
choose to pick up your own whip and march me to the cross
and reject me as your savior, I couldn't say no.  I could
not look you in the eyes, knowing what you would have to
endure if I were to deny this suffering. 
	
Beloved, you have stolen my heart. I could never deny you, I
could never reject you, I could never leave you. 
	
		It was all for you, my child...

							…only for you

and if I had to, I would do it again 
			
…because you are everything to me