DUTY

Tis been said that DUTY is the sublimest of words; but, to be honest, I
sometimes see it as a burdensome scourge.

The will of man is, at its root, twisted and bent. Hence, the need for our
Christ from on high our God hath sent.

The desire is within me to do that which is good, but, in practice the truth is I
don't always do that which I should.

True it is that there is pleasure in sin .... for a season, but, I can't fathom the
depth of my depravity - that depth defies all reason!

Lord Jesus, to you I make my prayerful appeal. Unto you, 0 Lord, I pour out
the remorse, the guilt I feel.

I know my duty to my fellow man, it is to put others first. How awful I then
feel when my sin stings my friends and family the worst.

For it is our sins that most often deeply wound those that we love, which is
why I seek your forgiveness and love from above.

Thanks be to our God who, through his Son, has cleansed me from sin once
and for all.

For as in Adam our race did fall, but through the God-man Christ we have a
new nature and life - I am free from the power of sin, I am healed through
His strife.

So when I am prone to look at my sin, I am grateful and glad to remember all
that He did. For it is in Jesus, His image I see, one who hung on a rugged
cross, one who died for me.

As great as the sin of man is still, greater is the power of the One who hung
atop Calvary's Hill.

Upon the death of our Christ, Satan his victory he was sure complete, but
with His resurrection, Jesus did seal our enemy's defeat.

And with this victory inscribed I also did learn, that greater is He who is in
me, than he that is in the world!

Joseph M O'Neill