“…but deliver us from evil…”
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Galatians 1:3-5).
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Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:13-18).
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But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
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deliver us from evil
we pray
piously
while secretly shivering deliciously
at the thought
tantalizing wisps of brimstone
a little touch of naughty
surely just a taste won’t
no one will know if i…
then over our heads
in trouble again we fling up our hands
and cry
why don’t you save me
why me
but once again on firm ground
we tiptoe
peeking over the edge again
just dipping in a toe
danger is the spice of life
and anyway
if it were really bad
it wouldn’t be here
so temptingly
because i can resist anything
except temptation
so we lay down our sword and shield
and stoop to take just one sip
while the water of life
pours out wasted
behind our willful backs
and the Lifeguard sighs and prepares
for action
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I do not understand what I do.
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
For I do not do the good I want to do,
but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
What a wretched man I am!
Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
(Romans 7:15-25, selected)
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