Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak—Matthew, 26: 41.
Watch and pray, said Christ the Master;
We of this have always need.
Full of promise though our motives,
Yet the flesh is weak indeed.
Watch and pray are the injunctions
Given us by Christ the Lord;
Let us hearken to his teaching,
Ponder well his every word.
Error, lurking round about us,
Seeks an entrance into thought,
Knowing flesh is weak as water,
Thinks that all men can be bought.
Cunning in device, 'tis striving
With false pleasures to allure,
Specious arguments deducing
All in vain, if thoughts be pure.
We to careful sense of watching
Can by constant prayer be brought,
Standing sentry every moment,
Sentry o'er the door of thought.
Sin is thought before 'tis acted;
Reason, more a guard to place,
O'er our thoughts to make us able
To meet error face to face.
Let us, then, obey the Master,
Let us ever watch and pray.
Keeping pure our thoughts from evil:—
Christian Science shows the way.
