The Apostles taught, “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” — 1 Peter 2:21

Before we know who Jesus is,
we believe in beautiful lies —
pleasure and comfort,
position and wealth,
sing lullabies of happiness.
Sirens all, they sing
of how they’ll make us happy,
until they wreck us on the rocks
and watch us drown.

If we escape the siren songs,
then religion plays the liar,
beguiling us, melodically,
methodically, to fall
in love with Christianity,
instead of loving Christ.
Notes, plucked from strings
of our self-righteous pride,
lift up ritual and knowledge,
then shove Jesus to the side.

Jesus, save us
from such seductive lies —
tie us tightly to your cross,
so we safely sail past sirens;
lash our lives to your example,
so we follow in your steps.
At the cross and in your steps,
Jesus, we are seeking more,
finding more, yielding more to you.

Devotional poem © 2016 Michael Himick. Used with permission.