
“Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:4-7 “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4: 21-24Like us, the Children of Israel often forgot about all the mighty deeds God does. Like us, they needed to REMEMBER the power of God. So they built a tower of 12 stones on the bank of the Jordan River as a visual reminder of God's mighty work in their lives. I wanted us to REMEMBER all we'd learned and seen along our journey together. I had sharpie markers and rocks! I didn't have time to write REMEMBER on the rocks, so I decided I would let each person pick a rock and a sharpie and write down the word REMEMBER on one side of their rock and then I would invite them to consider another word or phrase they wanted to carry with them from our time together and write that on the other side. ' [caption id="attachment_51386" align="aligncenter" width="225"]

“When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4: 21-24Rob and I both started crying...I had no idea these large stones were at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge! But the Holy Spirit knew! Wow! [caption id="attachment_51384" align="aligncenter" width="225"]












In our experience of God's presence, poetry can help us focus and engage our senses and entire being. Poetry can help us process life and emotions—and see ourselves—in new ways, and thus be open to hearing God say fresh, new things to us. Scripture does this also, of course. In fact, much of the Bible was written as poetry. I have long found soul nourishment and renewed perspective in the Psalms. And how can a person read Song of Solomon and not believe God seeks to woo and reach us through the five senses he has given us? The prophet Isaiah wrote often in poetry. Sometimes poetic expression reaches straight to the heart more effectively than prose.
"Poetry, in capturing the moment, captures the soul," says poet Mary Harwell Sayler.
I believe God still speaks through poets today. Sometimes with a prophetic voice. Sometimes imparting wisdom. Sometimes bringing clarity. Sometimes lifting the soul to hope and love.
Even if you think you aren't, you probably are more "into" poetry than you realize. Song lyrics are a type of poetry. Along with the instruments and voices, the words of songs can pierce or soothe our hearts as well as our minds.
Voltaire called poetry "the music of the soul."
On this World Poetry Day (March 21) I encourage you to begin the practice of including poetry in your devotional reading, meditative prayer, quiet times, and soul care.
Eugene Peterson stated, "People who pray, need to learn poetry."
But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to these comments from readers who have found poems help them focus on, and open their hearts to, God's presence and love:
“In our own seasons of suffering, [these poems give us] words to explain the pain, to cry out to God, or to get a grip on our faith.” –Elaine Wright Colvin (after reading I Cry Unto You, O Lord by Sarah Suzanne Noble
"This book is a steady and wise companion for those who read the Bible with real devotion and honest questions." –Connie Wanek (after reading Bible Poems by Donna Marie Merritt)
"Each one [of these poems] lifts my heart towards God. They have become a part of my morning devotions." –Bev Coons (reader of PRAISE! Poems by Mary Harwell Sayler)
"So many of the poems provided moments of prayer for me.” ~Jimmie Kepler (speaking of Glimpsing Glory by Catherine Lawton)
Poetry, and all the feelings it represents, connects us to all of humanity’s longings and searchings for God. Here is one of my favorite poems of devotion, written by Irish poet Thomas Moore, about 200 years ago.
MY GOD! SILENT TO THEE! As, down in the sunless retreats of the ocean, Sweet flowers are springing no mortal can see, So, deep in my heart, the still prayer of devotion, Unheard by the world, rises, silent, to Thee, My God! Silent, to Thee,-- Pure, warm, silent, to Thee.
As still to the start of its worship, though clouded, The needle points faithfully o-er the dim sea, So, dark as I roam, thro’ this wintry world shrouded, The hope of my spirit turns, trembling, to Thee, My God! Trembling, to Thee,-- True, fond, trembling, to Thee.
(I took the photo in the Redwoods in Humboldt County, California.)

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These barriers are supposed to fend off military and terrorist threats. But what they mostly do is create obstacles to peace. Often they increase frictions. At best, they freeze enmity in place.Walls, whether they be physical, emotional or spiritual often create barriers to peace. They highlight that people who are different from us be it because of race, ethnicity, gender orientation or beliefs are not welcome and maybe more importantly their views and ideas are not welcome and are seen to have lesser value than our own. In many cases that are not regarded as having any value at all. A few weeks ago, in the lead up to Lent, I wrote a post What If We Gave Up Walls for Lent, in which I talked about some of what I see as the keys to creating peace rather than animosity. First we need to really listen to what others are saying. So often we are more interested in voicing our own opinions than in listening, and what others say hardly registers in our consciousness. If there is one practice that should be established and reinforced during Lent, it is that of listening. Listening with our ears and our hearts. Listening with a willingness to be changed by what we hear and with a desire to see life differently than we have in the past. What if I rethink who I am not in terms of what Christ has done for me, but in terms of what Christ wants to do through me for others? What if I read life: through the lens of laughter and fun? through the filter of joy and peace? through the framework of gratitude and thankfulness? I am starting to think beyond Lent and even beyond Easter, and as I think about breaking down walls in the coming season there are other questions that lodge in my mind. As the seasons change what do I need to let go of in order to fully enter the richness of this new season? As I look at our world, what language do I need to change to become a better steward and carer for those who look and think differently from me ? As I think about my faith what perceptions and understandings need to change in order embrace that which I normally exclude? And with all these questions revolving in my mind it is not surprising that my initial thoughts have turned to poetry, that fertile ground of exploration and expression for me. Read life differently, Read with the desire to break down walls. Read with love and not with hate, with compassion and not with judgment, with generosity and not with scarcity. See your cup, not half full, not half empty, but overflowing with goodness and light and life. Read life differently. Look for the wonder of uniqueness, not the exclusion of sameness. Embrace don’t reject, Forgive don’t condemn, Seek the Son of God. Work diligently to know he who is the way, the truth, the life. Follow his footsteps into the way that leads to eternal life Amen (c) Christine Sine

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