At the end of any day, Lord,
I can sum up all my sins
with the image of this blue watch...
I love this watch, Lord - a lot! -
and that's the first sign of my sin:
that I love a watch!
It's just a thing, a device, an instrument,
an accessory, an ornament for my wrist;
it's mechanical, it has no feeling,
it cannot, does not and never will know me
- and yet I say that I love it...
I only need one watch, Lord,
but truth be told, I have seven
while many have no watch
to count the hours and the days
of their homeless, hungry lives...
I don't need another watch, Lord:
of the seven I already own, six spend most of their time
tick-tocking quietly for no one at all
in a box on my bedroom bureau...
And if my contrition be complete, Lord, I must confess:
of the seven watches I already own,
three have beautiful blue faces...
I sin, Lord,
when I envy and desire what isn't mine;
when I love what's not worthy of my love;
when I'm drawn by the lure of shiny objects;
when I want more than I need or can use;
when I freely spend while others go without;
when I long for anything that fails to lead me
closer to your heart...
At this day's end, I'm grateful, Lord,
for the grace to see more clearly
what I need and what I don't
and how much I need to simplify
my desires, my life,
and that box of watches
sitting on my dresser...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
Only This I Want by Dan Schutte
Refrain:
Only this I want:
but to know the Lord,
and to bear his cross,
so to wear the crown he wore.
1. All but this is loss,
worthless refuse to me,
for to gain the Lord
is to gain all I need.
2. I will run the race;
I will fight the good fight,
so to win the prize
of the kingdom of my Lord.
3. Let your heart be glad,
always glad in the Lord,
so to shine like stars
in the darkness of the night.
Only this I want:
but to know the Lord,
and to bear his cross,
so to wear the crown he wore.
1. All but this is loss,
worthless refuse to me,
for to gain the Lord
is to gain all I need.
2. I will run the race;
I will fight the good fight,
so to win the prize
of the kingdom of my Lord.
3. Let your heart be glad,
always glad in the Lord,
so to shine like stars
in the darkness of the night.
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