The Better Sacrifice
Out from the ground the blood of Abel
the blood of Abel cries:
for vengeance and for mercy cries,
cries and cries unto the skies,
the one whose worthy sacrifice
found favour in God’s eyes;
And now he lies within the soil,
blood soaking into the soil,
soaking, soaking, calling out for
mercy, mercy, cries for mercy.
And his blood speaks,
speaks to us, speaks:
speaks of judgment, speaks of our hearts,
murderous hearts which take vengeance
on our brothers, stab and kill with
vengeful hearts, kill, take the lives of
The innocent one who has found favour,
in God’s eyes favour found, who
lifts his head to heaven, lifts
his eyes up to his Father, stretches
out his arms and cries, with his heart and
from his lungs, cries,
Cries and cries:
Forgive them…
And now his blood soaks the soil
soaks us all and cleanses us, cries,
cries a better word than all
the blood of righteous Abel ever cried.
And so we come, sin-soaked and dying,
to the mountain come, the dying,
to the Holy Mountain where
the blood of Jesus speaks, a better
sacrifice speaks, better blood speaks
Far, far better words:
Forgive them,
Forgiveness drips forth
from His brow, the
one whose worthy sacrifice
found favour in God’s eyes…
The Consolations of Writing 