The Devoted Things
Where are the devoted things?
What darkly reflective urn or
Patina-crusted lampstand
Have I hidden under the floor of my tent
Like Rahab hid spies under straw
What treasured memory
Has so captivated by soul
That I could stand covered in dust
From Jericho’s crumbled fortress—
Walls destroyed by my own praise—
And still believe I was owed
Just this one precious thing more
How has the heat of my heart’s desire
Melted what belongs only to your treasury
To forge thirty pieces of silver
That I would trade for something
I have convinced myself is worth more
Than your deliverance,
Your Providence
Where are the devoted things?
Like the question in the garden, you already know
That I have made an idol
Of what was meant to be an altar
Promise me, if I bring them all to you
Unconcealed, consecrated
Bound like a sacrifice
Promise me, you’ll provide a ram
Before I burn
Wow. Powerful even tho I only vaguely remember the context. Motivated me to do a reread. (Yup, I’m RC so don’t have that crisp scriptural AI like recall that my Protestant cousins enjoy!)