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Guest blog by Joe Kerwin, an elder at
Pilgrim Church in Beverly, MA, who was honorably discharged after six years in
the Marine Corps. Currently, he works for the Massachusetts state library
system. The author of many poems and a worldwide traveler, he wrote this poem
in the Kalahari Desert in Africa while on a mission’s trip. Joe would like to
dedicate this poem to Pastor Ron Rossi of Grace Ministries, Saugus, MA, who
talked with Joe “every Thursday night for two years solid” right after Joe
became a Christian.
You slimy little devil, you’re slippery
as an eel,
elusive as a parasite, a master of
appeal.
Amazing, how you twist every single evil
thought,
and make it look attractive, even though
it’s really not.
By eluding comprehension, you make lies appear
so real,
With the lure of easy money, you said,
“just another deal.”
You keep me so confused with false hope,
another lie.
You had me so convinced I was benevolent
and kind.
Your reign of terror came with awesome
wicked power.
Your evil had me hate every waking hour.
Late night was the time that you really
liked to play,
with torture you would tell me, “You
won’t live to see the day…”
Satan, you’re so evil, binding every
noble thought,
making all that pain seem to me, as
though it’s really not.
That fear that often came on, all
throughout the night.
Your cold hard hand upon me, till I lost
the will to fight.
Hell, you took my life, and you scarred
it deep with gashes,
then pushed my life aside, like a pile
of old burnt ashes.
You’ve had your chilly hand on my heart
and on my soul,
for many, many, years, I was just your
little troll.
My life was such a mess, I never could
be free,
because I felt this awful curse would
always follow me.
Thank you, God, for the saint You sent to
me that day,
who said, “I know a Person who can show
a better way.”
So, I knelt right there upon the street,
before Jesus that day,
and asked for Him to take all my sin and
shame away.
“See ya later, Satan! Your jig is about
up!
Your deceit is stripped away! I’m wise
to all your stuff!”
As I rose straight to my feet, in shock
and in surprise,
my confusion now was gone, the clouds
had left my eyes.
I felt no longer pain and guilt, I left
the road I’d trod.
I said, “Goodbye!” to all my fear. I
said, “Hello!’ to God.
I skipped on down a brighter street,
yelling that I’m free.
That’s when I saw Satan, glaring back at
me.
With eyes so full of hate, he slithered
last away,
and scowled, “There goes my prisoner!
Now he is a saint!”
Joe gives God ALL the glory and honor for restoring him back to sound mind and body!
