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By Jean Andrianoff —
How do you respond in worship to the beauty of God? The Psalmist David often responded with poetry. Though it may be hard for us to recognize, all of the Psalms are Hebrew poetry, using such poetic devices as parallelism, sound repetition, and acrostic construction. Psalm 119 is a good example of acrostic construction, with each section of the Psalm beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In translation we lose the impact of most of the Hebrew poetic devices, though we can still appreciate parallelism. For example, verse 5 of Psalm 29 echoes the same thought in two adjacent lines:
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. (ESV)
This whole Psalm represents David’s response to God’s created splendor as seen in a storm. The Amplified Bible sets out David’s purpose in writing the Psalm this way:
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty and majesty of His holiness [as the creator and source of holiness].
Back to how does this apply to me? How might I use poetry to help me worship?
I’ve found that writing a haiku provides a good way to respond to the beauty of God I see in creation. For example, in early spring I love spotting trillium on a forest path. The trillium pictured here gave rise to this haiku:
Pure white trillium
Spring’s first light to dark forest
Divine metaphor
In limiting myself to the strict form of a haiku (3 lines of 5-7-5 syllables), I’m forced to focus on the essence of what I see in a particular aspect of creation, expecting the reader to picture what I saw. Rather than writing a lengthy explanation of how the trillium illustrates the Trinity, I trust the reader to grasp that is how the trillium is “divine metaphor.” As I compose a haiku, I reflect on the details and the message of a particular creation.
I can even use haiku to help me to focus and discern the core meaning of a short passage of scripture. For example, I could meditate on verses 3 and 4 of Psalm 29 and summarize them in the following haiku:
God’s powerful voice
Thunders over the waters
Speaking majesty
As a being made in the image of a Creator God, I find fulfillment and awe in responding to His created works with poetry in worship not of the creation, but of the Creator.
by Christine Sine
In last week’s meditation Monday you may remember, I asked the question What actions of God have shaped your life? This week I continue to contemplate my hands and the shaping of God. I am constantly aware of my hands. I watch them move over the computer keys. I examine the garden dirt that encrusts them. I admire the rings that circle my fingers. Hands are such a gift to us and a wonderful tool for reflecting on God.
This week I will focus on the events of my life and how they have shaped me.
I wrote What events have shaped my life? at the top of my page then traced around my left hand beside it. I used a fun multicoloured, watercolour pencil to color my print then washed over it with water to blend the colours, meditating on my question as I worked. Adventure and travel; family, friends and community; faith; singleness and marriage,; creativity and imagination; faith; vocation and calling love of nature; and illness all came to mind. The list kept growing as I thought back over life and thought about who I am and what has shaped me.
I chose 5 key words from my list – vocation; community; creativity; nature and illness and wrote them on the fingers of my hand. I sat in contemplation of each of these and jotted down thoughts about each of these shaping elements of my life.
handprint – loved by God
Surprisingly it was illness that held my attention for the longest time. Not a topic I think much about, yet as I meditated on illness and the impact it has had on my life, I realized this has shaped me in many ways. It is not something I should deny nor neglect. I need to embrace and thank God for it.
Illness has shaped many of the twists and turns of my life. It has brought me heartache and it has resulted in joy. It has drawn me close to God. It has given me resilience and strength that a healthy life would not have provided. Not just my illness either, though I have struggled over the years with chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic dental pain. It is the illness of others that has also greatly shaped my life. My mother’s illness during her pregnancy with me resulted in a premature birth. A month in hospital left me feeling isolated and abandoned, emotions I struggled with for much of my early adult life. Added to that was my father’s intermittent explosive disorder which left my whole family in fear of his rages and outbursts. Now I live my stepson’s schizophrenia and its ongoing impact on our lives.
The suffering of illness shapes all of our lives in profound ways. Our own bouts of ill health, the disabilities of family members and the suffering of our world all contribute to who we are and what we will become. Neglecting these influences makes us into shallow and superficial people.
As I think about this I am reminded of Paul’s struggle with a “thorn”, some form of handicap that challenged his life.
Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
I was particularly struck by the words: “I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.” Every handicap whether it be physical or mental illness, disability, lack of resources, racism, or gender equality can all be transformed into gifts if we lay them in God’s hand. In our weakness Christ’s strength can shine through.
I am reminded as I think about this of friends who struggle with illnesses and handicaps far more incapacitating than I have ever known. Steve Ruetschle, who became a quadriplegic in 2010 following a motor cycle accident for example. He has made an amazing and miraculous recovery but still struggles daily with pain and loss of mobility. God has used his life in incredible ways as he pastored a church in Manila and now is moving back to the U.S. with his wife Michelle and their family. Michelle’s recounting of this journey in Forty: The Year My Husband Became a Quadriplegic is well worth a read.
I think too of Niki Foster Hibbert who died a couple of years ago of breast cancer. Her fun loving personality through those final months of her life, her vulnerability and willingness to share her story with other breast cancer sufferers touched many of us deeply. In her weakness the strength of Christ shone through in amazing aways.
My thoughts go too to Keren Dibbens-Wyatt, on of our faithful Godspace authors. She struggles relentlessly with incapacity from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to a far greater extent than I experienced. In the midst her faith, her vibrant creativity and beautiful gift of art shines through. She too has found strength in God in the midst of her weakness.
Now don’t get me wrong. I believe God Wills Healing but that healing doesn’t always come in the way we expect, and the more we focus on our illnesses and disabilities, the stronger we become in our illnesses, the more they handicap us and the less God is able to move through us.
As I contemplated these thoughts I added the words Loved by God across my hand. God’s love shapes me in the midst of my weaknesses and illnesses. God’s love converts every weakness into a gift of life.
What is Your Response?
Look back over your own life and identify the illnesses both in yourself and in others that have shaped you.
In what ways have you ignored or neglected these?
Where have you held onto your own strength and not allowed your weakness to give space for God’s strength to emerge?
In what ways have you denied the gifts of God hidden in those illnesses?
How does your heart call you to respond? Write in your journal, draw a picture, compose a song.
I love to utilize everyday things I see and use on a regular basis to remind me to connect with Jesus, and as prayer tools.
It’s how I’ve learned to “pray along the way” and practice the presence of Jesus in the midst of a regular busy life. I practice NOTICING and I intentionally pay attention to things that God might use to speak to me. Things as basic as a kitchen sponge can remind me that I need to absorb more of God’s love, or it might remind me to ask Jesus what I need to clean up in my life.
Since it’s summer here in the States, I’m looking for summery things to use as prayer tools.
What thing might be a good symbol for you to use as Prayer Tool or even as a daily practice?
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Blow some Bubbles! Let the bubbles remind you of the Holy Spirit! Notice how the wind blows them around, like the wind of the Spirit. Let the bubbles remind you of joy or give you hope or ask Jesus to fill you with the freedom of a bubble to float on his love and not be fearful of popping!
- Drink from the hose, or as we call it at our house, the hose pipe!
Taste the coolness of the water. Allow this to be a symbol of refreshment. Be refreshed by the Living Water, Jesus. - Dig in the dirt. Plant something and watch it grow. What is God longing to grow in your life? What might need to be planted? or replanted in your life? Are you feeling planted or uprooted? Talk to God about this.
- Go to the Farmer’s Market. Notice the colors and the varieties of vegetables and fruits, and flowers. Consider all the variety and creativity of God. Take time to be thankful and know that the Creator cares for you. As you eat the bounty of Summer, practice gratitude, and also pray for others who might not have as much.
- Eat some Fresh strawberries, or blueberries or peaches, raspberries… taste and see that the Lord is good. Savor the flavor.
- Take time to visit a bakery or make bread at home… try making some simple bread with your family or housemates and share it with real butter and honey or jam. Allow the Bread of Life to satisfy you. What do you need? What are you hungry for? How do you need Jesus to satisfy you at this time? As you eat the bread talk to him about this. You might even make extra bread to share with someone in your neighborhood or someone whose been sick.
- Put on Sunscreen. Thank God for his protection.
- Wear your Sunglasses. Help you notice the Son. Jesus, give me eyes to see-as you see! Use your sunglasses as SON glasses. See and notice the needs of others around you!
- Go to the Pool. Lay back and float on the water on your back or on an actual float/raft. Imagine God holding you in his hand. Allow Jesus to hold you as you float on the water.
- Drink Lemonade. Make some from real lemons. What Taste are you bringing to the world? Sweetness or bitterness? Are you feeling sour or sweet in your relationship with God or others? Take some time to talk to God about this.
What are other summer things that might connect you to Jesus?
Ask Jesus to show you! and I’d love to hear what you choose!
By Br. Terrence Declan —
How can I help? These simple four words can be a great source of relief to someone who is trying to accomplish a task. These same four words might also pose a sense of frustration to the person thinking or saying the words.
I know I have been greatly relieved when people have offered their assistance to me for tasks ranging from seemingly small to insurmountable. On the other hand, I have often wanted to do something to help a person or a cause and have felt helpless. Sometimes the cause is so large I don’t know where to begin. Then there are so many worthy causes I am at a loss as to where to begin. Or the cause is so complex I don’t know if I have any skills to offer. So I wonder rather than ask, “How can I help?”.
Over the course of American history we have witnessed great movements started by individuals or small groups. Some of these struggles are ongoing; Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, Anti-War, Environment, #MeToo, #BlackLIvesMatter, Immigration Reform, Drugs, Gun Control, Prison Reform, just to mention a few.
So here I am wondering, “How Can I Help?”. With all of the social injustice, violence, war, hate, even the lack of common decency and respect for one another and all of creation: I not only wonder how I can help but also ask myself, “Where do I start?” And that is the precise question that I am able to answer.
I start with me. I most likely cannot effect change in any of the above conditions worldwide in a short span of time. But I know I can help. I do indeed know this. I cannot influence the whole world. But I can influence my world. In fact, I do believe I am able to influence the whole world by beginning with my world. Actually it is God doing the influencing. I realize this sounds a little confusing. It may even sound like double-talk. Please allow me to explain.
Jean Varnier, Founder of L’Arche stated the following:
“But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviors of the world! We are simply human beings, enfolded in weakness and in hope, called together to change our world one heart at a time. (163)”
― Jean Vanier, Becoming Human
I believe that by God’s grace that through me, indeed through each and every one of us the world can be changed. If I respond to hate with love, to violence with kindness, to greed with generosity, to exclusion with acceptance, to confrontation with tolerance then lives are changed. It spreads. It’s contagious.
Phileena Heuertz of The Gravity Center states it this way, “ To the degree we are changed, the world is changed.”
If I simply am present to the needs of others with whom I come in contact on any given day or in any given moment, then I believe I can help and am helping.
How can I help to change the world? Where do I begin? Q: How? A: One heart at a time. Q: Where? A: Me. Shall we begin?
ter
By Jenneth Graser —
I have paced myself with the paces of exuberance
and littered the floor with scrumpled-up papers.
I’ve peeled myself like a ripe fruit
and shared the segments, squeezed out juices.
Of grace, I have wondered upon
and peered between the slats of your kingdom,
but you have been to me closer than
what is cherished as close
and have shown me the kingdom within.
You have handed me brushes, and a palette of colours,
You have reached out to take my hand
and kept my hand in your hand.
You are not in a hurry
and wait to hear my voice as it stumbles
in wave upon wave on the tide of your shores.
You have handed me a pen, and some paper on a table
and you have shown me the garden, on the edge of attention.
We have breathed the same breath, under the pre-dawn light
and thought the same thoughts, trembling on what begins.
There are times when your face alone is enough for my heart,
because the words have lain down, and gone into hibernation.
And when this comes, I mustn’t fight it, but take it instead
as the most intimate of invitations.
I feel the turning of what must be borne,
as it grows and lurches deep down
And finds its first breath when we least expect it,
howling to come out and make itself known.
So untidy, we are not made for perfection,
but find our truest expression when we run into ourselves,
to find the Son there is rising.
This morning part of my scripture reading was Psalm 121 which , in The Voice translation I am currently using reads:
I look up at the vast size of the mountains
from where will my help come in times of trouble?
The Eternal Creator of heaven and earth and these mountains
will send the help I need.
As I sat here looking at the mountain outside my window (not as clear today as in this photo), the question that revolved in my mind as I meditated on this was not so much Where does my help come from? but rather Where does my inspiration come from? It is a question I often get asked, and I thought it was time to share some of what motivates and inspires me.
Of course it is not an easy question to answer. In a nutshell, my inspiration comes from an integration of contemplative practices with my observations of life and creation. Often when I sit quietly in the presence of God aware of each life giving breath and of each loving heartbeat, listening to the quiet whispers of the eternal One’s voice, I sense the energy of God surging through me. Busyness, tiredness, anxiety and just plain distractedness all quench that.
But there is more to inspiration than sitting quietly in the presence of God, though my doing so has encouraged me to look at the world in a different way that often inspires my imagination and creativity. It has taught me to listen to all the voices through which God speaks to me – the voices of those who talk to me each day; the voices of those around me who suffer and struggle; the voice of creation groaning and polluted, longing for the fulfillment of God’s redemptive promises for all creation. I am, as most of you know, constantly inspired by God’s presence in the garden and in the beauty of creation around me. I am particularly inspired by the art of Andy Goldsworthy who only uses what nature offers him in his art. I think that you too will be inspired by watching this video of his work.
My inspiration comes too through the delightful freedom from thinking I need to understand everything. Acknowledging my inadequacies and looking to others and to God for help when I don’t know what to do is a liberating and creative experience. I am learning to appreciate the creative power of criticism, not allowing it to pull me down, but grabbing hold of it as a way to reshape who I am and what I do to be more focused on God’s kingdom purposes.
What I realize more and more is that I need to make space and take time to listen to these voices. I am reminded of Richard Foster’s comment Busyness is not of the devil, busyness is the devil. Busyness strips all of us of the ability to listen carefully to God, to others and to the voices of creation. Busyness strips us of our ability to be inspired with new possibilities for grown and development in our faith.
So what inspires you today and how do you find the space and time to develop that inspiration?
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