Which one?

After Matthew 6:13

Is it evil, or

is it the evil one?

Before entering upon

a theological discourse,

perhaps we should first

ask, does it matter,

this parsing of words,

or is the idea the same.

Evil is the vile one;

the evil one is evil.

The reality is the same,

as it has always been

the same. Focus instead

on the other words,

deliver us from.

Photograph by Peter Forster via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Lead us not

After Matthew 6:13

It is there, a scarlet mist

or fog, sticking to our skins

or it feels like sticking,

surrounding and guiding us

to falter in the face

of difficulty, to rely upon

what we usually do,

to trip drunkenly into

business as usual, making 

ourselves little gods,

little idols. Lead us not

there; lead us to the rock,

the cleft in the rock,

the safe place,

the hiding place,

protected.

Photograph by JJ Jordan via Unsplash. Used with permission.