To Lick a Sword

In Skadi's poem, "High Place," there is a line I would like to embellish  upon: "[Christ] licked my wet and shiny sworde."  Here, a disturbing and beautiful image is born. 

It is disturbing for the sensation summoned of a tongue sliding over sharp metal, the tongue being sliced in an acutely painful way, the tongue being one of the most sensitive parts of the body, the tongue also being so rampant, so animated, so fundamental to our ability to taste and communicate.  Truly, this is a huge sacrifice, to slide your tongue over not just a sword but a wet and shiny one as well.  The wetness would add lubrication so that the tongue slides over the sword and is sliced by the sword even quicker, and therefore deeper.  The shininess suggesting that the sword is new or at least well cared for, well sharpened, more effective.    

The image is beautiful for the same reasons it is disturbing.  That Christ did this, with His tongue, on our sword is monumental when we should be licking His wet and shiny sword as a beginning to the slew of apologies we owe Him.  When we'd be lucky to graze the hem of His robe with a fingernail, He is licking OUR sword.

This reminds me how eternally blessed I am to be saved by Him and while I have never been comfortable with the idea of "eating His body" and "drinking His blood," this line about the sword, moreover, the entire poem, affirms that I am doing daily just that.  He provides Himself as nourishment.  His tongue bleeds on my sword so that I might be able to put it to my mouth and digest His blood afterward.