Lenten Devotions in Hard Economic Times

FOURTEENTH DAY OF LENT 
                    MARCH 4
  
 I Corinthians 10: 9
 
 
We must not put Christ to the test,
As some of them did,
And were destroyed by serpents.
 
Make no mistake,
There are serpents in the deserts
Of our hearts,
In the wilderness of spirit.
In lands that are God-forsaken,
Serpents infect us,
With death-dealing toxins.
 
Hatred, vengeance,
Jealousy, pettiness,
Arrogance, distain,
Are venomous,
Stopping our breathing,
Breaking down our ensembles of cells.
 
Never try to get Christ to serve us
Instead of us serving Christ…
 
Let us draw in the breath
Of compassion,
Let the word of justice
Flow through us,
Let faithfulness infuse us with
The Christ-borne antivenin.

 
I Corinthians cited from New Revised Standard Version
and from The Message
commentary in italic