poetry

I have a passion for the Bible. I’m not deluded enough to believe everyone feels the same as me. I mean, it’s an old book with old stories we can’t always relate to. It’s huge and unwieldy! It even has sections that are only full of genealogies or lists of materials for the tabernacle or numbers of people counted in a census for tribes. What about this dry, verbose material would be alluring to anyone?

Let me tell you. If you came to the Bible as if it were a piece of art or ancient literature, you would see an incomprehensibly complex masterpiece created over thousands of years. I know part of my fascination with this work is because I’m a literature major. I love books. So, the symbolism, the foreshadowing, the repeated themes to tell a story or moral are engrossing to me. Jesus must’ve loved it too, speaking in parables all the time. Add to it that it wasn’t just one author. It’s difficult enough to have one person write one work. The Bible is made of 66 books: History, laws, poetry/songs, accounts for census or accounts, genealogy records, letters, prophecies. Yet, they all come together with the same plot, the same themes, the same symbols, the same message of love.

Which brings me to this: If I could sum up the Bible, what would I say? In one word, of course it would be love. In a bit of a longer way, I would say that the Word starts with the story of humanity living in a state of absolute love and peace, getting kicked out of that utopia, and then not being able to return. However, over the course of the rest of the Bible, you’ll learn three things: Eden is not a place; it’s where ever God is. We were not kicked out of Eden; we walked ourselves out. God has been trying to convince us ever since we left to return back. I want you to reread those three things. What do I mean?

Eden is not a place. It never was. I’m not saying there wasn’t a physically separate area where Adam and Eve lived. T hat’s not the point. It wasn’t Eden because of where it was located. It was Eden because that’s where God and humanity walked together in the cool of the day.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…
Genesis 3:8

We were not kicked out. Have you ever been told when younger that as long as you live under your parent’s roof, you live by their rules? God’s rules were simple: Don’t eat from the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Really, it wasn’t even about the fruit. It was about following God’s rules. It was a fruit of death, and God was saving us from ourselves. His rules are all about love. We didn’t want that. We decided to disobey. We decided to leave God’s presence.

He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
Genesis 3:11

God has been trying to convince us to return back to his presence since the moment we left it. What about that angel with a flaming sword, you may ask? Sweetheart, do you think if we wanted back in His love and grace and followed his rules that anything would keep us from Him? We couldn’t return to His loving presence as long as we lived in disobedience and darkness. The darkness doesn’t exist in the light. God is begging you to return to His loving arms (Lev 26: 11-12).

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
Ezekiel 36:35

These are the simple truths. The Bible is full of complicated truths and hard truths as well. If you read it expecting the main characters to be only perfect and holy people, you’re going to be surprised. Not a one of them were perfect until Jesus. In fact, they were all evil in varying ways and saved only by the love of God. That’s the point. If you read it expecting the “good people” in it like Moses, David, etc. to only speak to God with positivity and adoration, you’ll be surprised. Especially David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), wrote songs and poems about every emotion and situation he experienced. Sometimes, he poured out his anger to God.

O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.
Psalm 35:17-18

Sometimes, he poured out his doubts.

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”
Psalm 13:1

God can take it. He already hears your heart’s lamentations and doubts before you open your mouth. He wants you to communicate and open up to Him in honesty and truth, even hard, painful truth.

I just wanted to speak with you today about my love for the Bible. It’s a love story about the growing, changing relationship between God and His people. I guess I could say I wanted to write a public love letter about THE public love letter known as the Word.

Leave me a message below if you have anything you love about the Bible.

God bless!

I’ve learned that a good way to treat burn out is by creativity.

They are complete opposites. Burn out is spurred by ongoing, unresolved stress rounded out by unmet needs. True creativity may be shaped by practice and work, but in essence, it is a free thing, unrestrained by expectations and stress. Children are innately creative as they color outside lines and sometimes on walls. They don’t call themselves uncreative or stop from drawing their stick family because they think their hands aren’t talented enough. They sing without worrying about how squeaky their voices are. They dabble in poetry without realizing, as it falls from lips during hopscotch or while sitting in the trees.

We are all creative beings. God is the ultimate artist, and we, in His image, are as well. God also doesn’t stop painting the sunrise or forming the ears on a newborn calf because He wonders if someone else will disapprove of His style or ability.

Neither should you.

So, the reason I bring up burn out is, quite simply, I’m experiencing it. It’s not because of this blog. It’s due to a number of reasons connected to work and other life stresses, which reach their tentacles into other areas of my life. So, this is why I’ve not been writing consistently the past few weeks.

However, God put the urge to write poetry in my heart for some reason, pulling out my creative urges and reminding me of who I am and why I write here. I don’t like to show off unfinished works of art, but I did before here, and I will again today. I’m reminded that this is not just a place full of essay-like studies, but rather a connection to God’s heart. And God’s heart is full of joy, creativity, and not burn out. He’s healing, and He’s healing me too.

I like to document my journey through learning how to love like Jesus, so here you go. You can love like Jesus by stepping back and being creative once in a while. Write, draw, sing, create. It’s what you were made for, and do it all in love. I love y’all, so here’s my latest poem. It’s about the Father and Son from before humanity. I may add to it later or change a lot, but if I don’t, I don’t. It’s a sacrifice of time and effort on the altar to God. I hope you both like it.

In the beginning there was you and me
Hemmed by darkness
Word; a cord connects us
Echoes
Calls for light from void
When we were, we are, will be
The sounds of thunder
creation freed
All that was hidden is burned,
revealed
A Word, The Word
From edge to edge
a Blossoming begin
A calling from the nothingness
Unfurling, flinging, fly
Torn from the womb of abyss
Bordered now by sky
Summon forth the suns and souls
Topple worlds; plant more anew
A universe full
Once just me and you

God bless!

P.s. if you can’t see the poem as it can get glitchy with the IOS app, switch to your internet browser.