If We’d been There

If we had lived in Jesus’ day
How faithful we’d have been;
We’d not have slept but vigil kept,
If we’d been with him then.

If we had lived in Jesus’ day
His feet we would have washed,
We’d not have waited for another
Upon him to attend.

And in his hour of trial and need
We near to him had been,
When he forsook, we’d have remained
So very near to him.

When on his way to Calvary
We would have volunteered
To aid him with the heavy load;
If we’d been with him there.

We cannot serve so person’ly
For he’s no longer flesh,
But risen now to heights divine,
Forever free from pain.

But even since he’s glorified
His words do us instruct,
As done to him, things done to his;
So dear to him his own.

To us the priv’lege doth remain
And we may do for him
By waking to the needs of his,
Still in the "Narrow Way."

The feet of him are with us still;
Still weary trav’lers tread,
And these we ever may refresh
By living waters spread.

In helping with another’s cross
Our love we show for Him,
And thus he knows what we’d have done
If we’d been there with him!

Poems of the Way
Martin C. Mitchell