Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Charged with Choking

"The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful" (Mark 4:19).

We hear the charges that are hurled
Against those things that choke the Word,
As cares and riches of this world
With lusts for other things are stirred.

Beware of cares that will consume
Your precious energy and time
And in the process leave no room
For things eternal and sublime.

Beware of riches that deceive
And choke the fruit you had before,
Which compromise what you believe,
That you might gain a little more.

Beware of lusts for other things
Instead of Christ who satisfies,
And choke the fruit the Spirit brings,
Exchanging truth for empty lies.

Protect us, Lord, from things You've found
That choke Your Word producing fruit,
And make us rather as the ground
That's good, wherein Your Word takes root!

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