Listen

by Joseph A. Davis

Theres something in the human race

That causes human pain

And something on the human hand

Quite like a crimson stain

You dont believe me?  See, yourself

Look closely at your hands

If you wont see the staining blood

Then you wont understand

But if you have the honesty

To truly look and see

To check your deeds and count your sins

Youll find yourself like me

I also had my share of stains,

My portion of the guilt --

The guilt that makes the human race

Defiled, destroyed, and killed

How deep those stains soaked into me

I really could not say

I didnt even want to know --

Just wanted them away

And so I tried to cleanse myself

I tried a thousand cures

Each person has a different soap

They think will make them pure.

But oh!  I found to my dismay

The blood had not come off

For blood and water do not mix

And soap makes soul-stains scoff

These skinny hands of mine were stained,

Stained horribly for good

Or so I thought -- there was one thing

That I misunderstood

Though earthly ways cannot remove

The stain of sinful blood

Such stains can still be washed away

In streams of Holy Blood

I found a Fountain by a Cross

Lord Jesus called to me

He bade me come and wash myself

In His divinity

So hesitantly I obeyed

And bathed my sin-stained soul

And finally I washed my hands

And made my spirit whole

I was reborn and made anew

For I had met the Lord

And on that day my life was changed:

A plowshare from a sword

I do not mean that I am good

Or that I never sin

But Jesus Christ is merciful

And I belong to Him

Now look again upon your hand

Come, tell me what you see

If it is stained like my hand was,

Then still it can be cleaned

There is a fountain by a cross

Where you can wash your heart

The Lord will cleanse you if you ask;

The asking is your part.