Father's Love vs. Fatal Lust

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof… These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you” (1 John 2:15-26).

Do not love the world, nor lust for its things,

For what can compare to God’s heaven above?

The love of this world at last only brings

The tragic displacement of God’s greater love.

The lust of the flesh, which is led by seduction,

The lust of the eyes, which is not satisfied,

And pride of this life, which refuses instruction,

Are evils from which we should prudently hide.

How subtle these evil seductions can be,

Disguised by the world to look like a friend!

But God has disclosed them as our enemy,

Destroying the soul they betray in the end.

O Lord, as this world is passing away,

We’d set our affections more firmly on You.

Deliver our souls from the lusts that betray,

And lead us instead by Your love that is true.