The Old Man

We were all born to sin, we have carried it with us since the first day of our lives and will do so until the last. Christians are no different in this, we do not have some strange freedom from our sinful desires that magically allows us to overcome temptation whenever confronted. We do however have a choice, something that we never had before our salvation. As the sons and daughters of God we now have the right to turn away from sin and say 'no'. However this right is not easy to exercise, especially when all we once were cries out to again be ensnared by the coils of that which we long to escape. We may choose to refrain from sin, but this does not mean that we will choose to refrain from sin. Such is the source of our daily battle, the new nature against the old that we might daily die to self and allow Christ to live within us.

There is a wicked man
Who lives inside my mind
He seeks that which should not be
Those unholy acts of shame and guilt
Which drive down righteous lives

Beneath a starry sky of sin
This destroyer sleeps inside
Awaiting the day he may awaken
And devour my heart, my mind, my soul
Drawing them down into the maw of oblivion

That in this I might be lost
And he may finally be freed
To walk wickedly within my skin
Working in the world his dark will
That he should be magnified

Save me from myself
Strengthen my weary mind
Lift up my weakened heart
Cleanse my guilty soul
That I might be free