I Want The Devil Dead

Last updated on: July 2, 2007 at 9:56 am by John Shore

I Want The Devil Dead 2007-07-02T09:56:21-08:00 John Shore

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This is what I’m talkin’ about.

I am exhausted with the devil today. I am sooooo tired of his relentless effort to destroy what’s sublime, degrade what’s worthy, weaken what’s strong, mar what’s beautiful. I’m angry at his willful stubbornness, his grossly misplaced pride, his shameless machinations, his fostering of irrationality, his waste of the precious, his victimization of the susceptible. I’m sick to death of his constant, venal corruption.

And he hides, of course; always, he hides. He ducks, and covers, and stays in the shadows. He quickly throws up shiny, vibrant diversions; he changes shapes; he always moves left when you go right–and then comes stealthily circling in behind you, his piercing weapons drawn.

And heaven forbid that weakling should ever go after anyone with any strength. I do (believe me) understand what a dangerous assertion it is to make, but the fact is that the devil’s grip on me personally isn’t anything for him to be crowing to his loser minions about. I’m strong; I’m smart (enough); I’m happily married–mostly, of course, I’ve got religion. I know who I am–and I sure know who he is. And he knows I know who he is. So I’m of limited appeal to him. No one likes someone who laughs at what they want him to take seriously.

Besides, why bother with me, when there’s two little boys next door being cared for by “foster parents” who are drunks? What fun am I, when there’s a depressed teenage boy right across the street from me who’s just started smoking pot? Why struggle with me, when there’s a whole world of hurting, vulnerable people out there that he can work like a ball of putty in his slick, hot hands?

I’m so sick of it. I’m so tired of having to witness and suffer through the endless little pockets of hell created by King Sleazeball for his own pathetic delight. I’m tired of the trash he makes, the stains he leaves, the holes he digs, the walls he builds. I’m tired of his craven opportunism. I’m tired of his glittery, superficial, caustic sexuality. I’m tired of his toxic insidiousness. I’m tired of his bottom-feeding frenzy.

Jesus, I know you do everything in your own time. Of course! And one of the great, engaging pleasures of we on earth is to contemplate the magnificence of your eternal reality, to reflect upon the humbling truth that a moment to us is an eternity to you. That’s certainly true.

And of course we know you know this–but if you wouldn’t mind us saying it again: When, in your holy benevolence, you are moved to come down here and once and for all stomp out the devil like the scampering, spitting, diseased cockroach that he is, trust that we’ll be there with a can of insecticide and a hammer (or a shoe, or a shovel, or whatever else we can get our hands on) faster than you can say, “You wanna take a shot?”

Previous Post

June 30, 2007

Walter the Clown

Next Post

July 4, 2007 Fourth of July

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christian Issues Christian Spirituality Dear John En Espanol Everywhere She's Not Humor Look See Pastor Bob's Corner Personal Portuguese Relationships Russian Short-short story Smith Family Chronicles Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2024 August 2022 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 February 2020 December 2019 June 2019 December 2018 May 2018 May 2017 January 2017 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book has the famous phrase, "For everything there is a season"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lamentations Psalms Ecclesiastes Proverbs

Books by This Author Books by John Shore

See All Titles »