Great fear

After Acts 5:1-11

A man dies for his deception,

a woman dies for aiding and

abetting deception. Not just

eventually but right at 

deception’s revealed moment.

The people, the witnesses,

see the deception, 

see the penalty immediate,

and are seized with a fear,

a great fear, and those

not there, but only hear

the story later, are seized

with a fear,

a great fear,

a trembling of the heart,

a trembling of the soul.

This God, our God,

is the God who knows

all things, even

the dark places

of the human heart.

Photograph by Olesya Yemets via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Deception: her

After Acts 5: 7-11

What was she thinking,

that her husband was

clever in his deception,

her deception, keeping

a part of funds received

but claiming credit 

for all? She followed

the script, planned and

possibly rehearsed:

“The full price was given.”

She, too, fell down,

breathing her last.

She, too, was carried out.

She, too, was buried with

her partner in deception.

And what do you profit,

to gain the whole world,

or even a tiny fraction,

and lose your soul?

Photograph by Toa Heftiba via Unsplash. Used with permission.