Poetry series: Inspired by the Spirit

Monday, July 20, 2020

This week we’re continuing with a series of creative worship. This selection of poems and photographs is from Andrea, who has also written about her experience of creative things with God.

Sometimes when reading the Bible or meditating on a small part of it, ideas start to form in my mind for a poem, and as I pray asking God to give me His words, then often the poem seems to write itself! As I search for the right word or phrase, I can be surprised by what comes to mind as the Holy Spirit leads me to something poetic and beautiful.

So some of my writing is sparked off by spending time with God, but other times I sit down to intentionally write a poem by inviting the Holy Spirit to co-author something on a particular theme and I am often amazed at what comes!

At other times, my writing is therapy as I partner with God to work through a hurt, problem or grief and the process brings healing and comfort.

God is the Creator and we are made in his image, so are all able to create something in our everyday lives be that a solution to a work problem, a design, drawing, recipe, gardening , photography, painting etc. – all can be enhanced and inspired when we intentionally partner with the Holy Spirit to bring a bit of heaven down to earth!

Meditation on Psalm 121

Look up eyes that are cast down

Look up to heaven

See life from a heavenly perspective

Big picture

Eternal timeframe

The Maker of heaven and earth designed you

Formed you

Crafted you

And is with you to help and guide

Look up to the skies

Look up to the hills

Pour out your feelings

Cry for the Lord’s help

For He watches over you day and night

And will protect you

His timing is perfect

Entrust every aspect of your life to Him

For He sees it all

Always has

And always will

This too will pass

Draw close to the Lord

Share life with Him

And see circumstances through His eyes

Lift up your eyes

For all help comes from the Lord

What’s in a name?

Given by parents but inspired by God

Names are passed down through the generations

Carrying with them blessings and curses

That shape each life for good or ill

Family pet names, nicknames, banter

Even names spoken in jest but with negative connotations

Feed identity

Create wounds

And become labels that stifle potential

Yet terms of endearment breathe life

The name of womanly strength given to me

Rarely used within my family

Became weakened by shortening and replacing with pet names

Critical names

Names overheard

Even spoken by teachers

Pierced like arrows into my very soul

Stole my confidence

Smothered my potential

Until God called me by my name

And I became born again

Adopted into God’s family

One by one the arrows were removed

Words of love and encouragement broke my shackles

Healed my wounds

Restored my God-given personality

The pet names whispered by my heavenly father are:

Adored one

Beloved child

Beautiful woman

Darling

Intimate and life-giving

He delights in me and rejoices over me with singing

In His love I am secure

I am strong

My identity is in Christ

My name is child of God

From a rosebud to a rose

Song of Songs 2:1-3 The Passion Translation (TPT)

I am truly his rose, the very theme of his song.

I’m overshadowed by his love, growing in the valley!

Rosebud potential

Delicately formed

Fragrant promise

Like a tightly wound spring

About to burst into bloom

This was me

Until I met Jesus

Unable to see who I was

But Jesus gently opened me up

His love released the tightness in my heart

Removed my thorns

And taught me how to love

I began to bend in the wind of the Holy Spirit

To turn my face towards the warmth of his love

And as my tears watered the soil

I put down roots ever deeper into him

Receiving his nourishment surging through my veins

Passion rising in my heart

Fresh vision

Revealing talents I was unaware of

But in partnership with heaven

Creativity blossomed

And I began to open up

To bloom as God designed

No longer a bud

But flourishing as a rose

Alternative Ending

As I walk, my feet begin to follow a depression in the ground, like a hollow scooped out

before me and I continue down

Down until the sides are higher than me,

Down, down, till I’m walking through a valley

All around there is colour, flowers, trees with healing in their leaves, humming of insects,

joyous birdsong, yet nothing penetrates me

My eyes are downcast as I walk down, down ever lower into this valley of darkness and

despair

As I focus on my life, my circumstances, the problems that surround me

My mood descends

I see no way out

But suddenly I remember that when I lift my eyes to heaven, there I can find hope, infinite

help, lightness of being, healing

As I look to heaven, I begin to feel the infilling of the Holy spirit, connecting me, connecting

with my spirit

I feel flooded by love, such power, powerful love of God that I do not understand,

Deeper, wider, higher than this valley that I’m going through

I feel warmth

I feel like crying, touched by the love of God

Hope begins to rise in my breast

I begin to see light in the distance

I begin to notice the colours around me

I begin to hear the voice of the one who loves me, saying “Come follow me

Look into the skies, see the chariots of fire, see the angels ministering to you, see your

guardian angel

All of heaven is on your side

Look to heaven not at your circumstances

Look to me

Look to my love

And I will lift you

I will provide for you

I will heal you

I will strengthen you and guide you out of this valley

For perfect love overcomes fear

In heaven there is infinite creativity, a solution for all problems

Not what you see, not what you might think, for my ways are not your ways

So come to heaven

Let me lift you

Seek my face

Because when you do seek me, when you knock at my door

I am there waiting to answer you

You need not walk through this Valley alone for I am with you

I will always be with you.”

Solitude

Walking barefoot alone along a golden, Hebridean beach

Emptiness stretching out before me

No people

Just the cries of swooping seabirds

The noise of wind in my hair and waves crashing upon the shore

My thoughts drift as my feet dip into the edge of the icy sea

Here, at last, is the solitude I crave away from the demands of people and things

Warm sun breaking through the grey and white clouds, sparkling upon the sea

Now and then I am jolted back to reality by the reach, force and depth of an incoming wave

And I am reminded that the glory of God is all around, everywhere

Shining down from heaven and reflected in the waves

Cool, refreshing water for my soul

Invigorating wind reviving my spirit

The seabirds’ call drawing me towards the voice of God

Although it is solitude that I seek

God is here

As my head is cleared of the clutter of daily life

I begin to hear His voice and feel His presence

He is always with me

He supplies my every need

And I realise that my longing for solitude is actually a longing for God

Bristo Baptist Church