I was deep in my dismal duplicity

I was deep in my dismal duplicity
Sunken in my state of sinful consumption
The shadows of my convention
Surround and shrouded me in

My eyes grew heavy
The day seemed as the night
For all the stars
Seemed not to light
Upon me

Too long had the sycophant
Sucked away at me
The man of once
Now a mere puppet
Was me

What hope could I find
For all round lay
Remnants of ravaged
And wasted investments
Enshrined

Then deep in the pit
I felt a still rumble
It began to pick
At the scars

The scales began to fall
I started to glimpse
A silhouette beside me

I felt the breath
It warmed me
Where once I thought
Could ne'er again

Somewhere inside
I longed to confide
To withdraw from this place

I felt a slight tinge of hope
That this someone
Might give it me

Then as if he knew my thoughts
He spoke to me:
"Art thou ready to cast
Thy burden aside

Art thou prepared
To come and die
That life anew may
Fill and heal thee
Of thy sin"

"How" I cried
"Canst come I too this"
"By my sacrifice
I have borne the greatest
Price

If thou would here repent
And to me thy soul consent
Then shall thee find
Thyself content"

"Thy gift is great
Yet I fear the cost"

"Fear not the cost
Though thy mortal self
Be lost
For thy soul shall save
If thee should
Follow me"

Though my heart
Felt faint
Deep within
I knew
Twas true

And still
While words
Were formed in me
Did carry me
From that
Awful place

My valentine
Twas He
Devine
Who pulled me
From the grave
To save
That I might
Ere with Him
Remain

No more the shroud
Of mine aged skin
Did cling to me

Now cast aside
And free
My Savior
Who
Didst die
For me

And rose
In all victory
And brought me
Home to Him
Who bore my sin
That I be lost
And found in him

-Joshua Lee Foist