Crowned or Crucified?

I stood alone at the bar of God
In the hush of the twilight dim,
And faced the question that pierced my heart:
“What will you do with Him?
Crowned or crucified? Which shall it be?”
No other choice was offered to me.

I looked on the face so marred with tears
That were shed in His agony;
The look in His kind eyes broke my heart,
‘Twas so full of love for me.
“The Crown or the Cross,” it seemed to say;
“For or against Me; choose thou today!”

He held out His loving hands to me,
While He pleadingly said, “Obey!
Make Me thy choice, for I love thee so,”
And I could not say Him nay.
Crowned, not crucified; this must it be!
No other way was open to me.

I knelt in tears at the feet of Christ,
In the hush of the twilight dim,
And all that I was or hoped or sought,
I surrendered unto Him.
Crowned, not crucified! My heart shall know
No king but Christ, who loves me so!

—Author Unknown