Rhythms of My Spirit
Rhymes and Rhythms ~ Revelations, dancing across my spirit
Image Credit: Dreamstime
What Life’s About
When my heart is broken
and I feel like I’ll never find a way
to see beyond the sorrow, the darkness
who slurs each prayer I pray…
when my soul is churning
with fear that won’t let me go
and nothing will ever again be perfect
the way it was before I felt this blow…
when my life just isn’t worth it
and I want to give up all of my plans
even though I’ve worked hard to share
my blessings – the blessings from His hands…
when all seems lost, and I can’t fix it
when I don’t know what to do or say
I feel the love of God reaching out to me,
offering hope that He hears when I pray…
when I feel the shadows cover my dreams
and the desperation silences my light
I believe – despite the darkness, there is One
who will always win my worst fight…
He silences the fears that trouble me
He reaches out to me with His grace
He reveals the truths that stir hope in me
He is the One who I’ll ever embrace.
With Him, I know what it means to love
He is the light that shines down from above
With Him, I have no reason to doubt
He shows me that love is what life’s about!
His coming to us and living within us is a gift, the best gift the Father can give us. But the Father always waits on our volition. Jesus told us that we have to desire this gift, ask for it—ask for Him. Something else shimmered through too. It’s the Spirit who is the Miracle-Worker. When our churches ignore Him, no wonder they are so devoid of answered prayer. No wonder they have rationalized and developed an unscriptural position: the belief that miracles were only for the beginning years of the faith to get the Church started. Rather, the truth is that Scripture assumes miracles. And the Helper (one of the names Jesus gave the Holy Spirit) always brings miracles in His wake, moves in the climate of miracles, expects them.
Marshall, Catherine . The Helper (pp. 11-12). Evergreen Farm. Kindle Edition.
Image Credit: Dreamstime
I See Him
I see Him in the plants and trees
With the flowers caressed by bees
I see Him in the ocean’s breeze
He is breathing life into all of these
I see Him in the birds who sing
In the faith He will always bring
I see Him in the joy of a Spring
He shines a light to which I cling
I see Him in the twinkle of a eye
In the azure sea of the dawn sky
I see Him in wonders He does imply
He is laughter whispered in a sigh
I see Him in the gladness of the sun
Within a light that will never be outdone
I see Him in the beauty which will stun
He is the miracle of serenity that is spun
I see Him in the moonlight and stardust
In the brilliance of righteousness I trust
I see Him in the feelings that will adjust
He is there in my heart, an absolute must
I see Him in the kindness He inspires
In the radiant love that He fires
I see Him in the soul who He sires
He is the only One my hope requires
I see Him in the pen of a writer
Within the words that are brighter
I see Him in the glory of a fighter
He is the prayer that feels lighter
I see Him in the silence of a dream
In the clear, cool liquid of a stream
I see Him in the reflection all agleam
He is the music to my song and theme
I see Him in the wonders all around
In the hearts and souls that do astound
I see Him in the city and the small town
He is the Father, Son and Spirit renowned
I see Him… in a smile, a sigh, a song
I see Him… in the light, the love, all lifelong
For the One who leads me out of the wrong
Back toward the faith, hope and love so strong
The reason why it can never succeed is this. God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.
Lewis, C. S.. Mere Christianity (p. 54). Horizon Ridge Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Image Credit: Dreamstime
In Everything Give Thanks
Every worry, every sorrow
Brings hope for tomorrow
Every sadness, every pain
Brings a rainbow after the rain
Every doubt, all the fears
Brings assurance through the years
Every whisper from the night
Brings laughter in the light
Every silent feeling of dread
Brings a joy that is well fed
Every lingering doubt or question
Brings a love from the heart’s expression
Every mystery in the shadows
Brings a vision that we compose
Every laughter in the heart
Brings peace and joy when apart
Every lie, every hue of despair
Brings insight in which to compare
Every caution, every warning
Brings a sense of grief and mourning
Every guilty thought or deed
Brings a need for forgiveness, agreed
Every lingering emotional loss
Brings a reminder of Jesus’ cross
Every burden and every care
Brings the heart a need of prayer
Every feeling of deep despair
Brings thoughts of God to prepare
Every evil thought, every dark sin
Brings a need of revival from within
Every chance to ask God to forgive
Brings second chances to finally live
Every moment of praise in God’s ear
Brings a opportunity for Him to hear
Every plea uttered from a yearning soul
Brings love’s reminder of self-control
Every mouth that breathes an appeal
Brings assurance that we must kneel
Every word, thought or deed of grace
Brings wonders divine that we embrace
Every blessing from heaven that we hope
Brings us the surety that we can cope
Every miracle sent down to us from above
Brings us the understanding of wonderful loveMy reason was that Christianity simply does not make sense until you have faced the sort of facts I have been describing. Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness. It therefore has nothing (as far as I know) to say to people who do not know they have done anything to repent of and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness. It is after you have realised that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor. When you have realised that our position is nearly desperate you will begin to understand what the Christians are talking about. They offer an explanation of how we got into our present state of both hating goodness and loving it. They offer an explanation of how God can be this impersonal mind at the back of the Moral Law and yet also a Person. They tell you how the demands of this law, which you and I cannot meet, have been met on our behalf, how God Himself becomes a man to save man from the disapproval of God. It is an old story and if you want to go into it you will no doubt consult people who have more authority to talk about it than I have. All I am doing is to ask people to face the facts—to understand the questions which Christianity claims to answer. And they are very terrifying facts. I wish it was possible to say something more agreeable. But I must say what I think true. Of course, I quite agree that the Christian religion is, in the long run, a thing of unspeakable comfort. But it does not begin in comfort; it begins in the dismay I have been describing, and it is no use at all trying to go on to that comfort without first going through that dismay. In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end: if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth—only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair. Most of us have got over the pre-war wishful thinking about international politics. It is time we did the same about religion.
Lewis, C. S.. Mere Christianity (pp. 39-40). Horizon Ridge Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Image Credit: Dreamstime
The Holy Spirit
He fills me up with compassion
He is my constant companion
I love Him because He abides
Inside my heart where he guides
He allows me to feel fully accepted
With Him, I know I’m never neglected
I love His presence always alive with me
Listening to the prayers that I do plea
He whispers to me a comforting hope
That fills my entire life with ways to cope
I love Him living where I can always question
His knowledge gives me the best suggestion
He calms my soul with His gentle voice
Giving me the wonders of a sincere choice
I love His guidance that reassures my thoughts
With Him beside me, I always think of the cross
He opens my mind to reach for my dreams
With Him, I know that I’m stronger than it seems
I love His encouragement to be who I should
He’s forever with me, teaching me all that’s good
He lights up my life with His fire from above
Sent down to instruct me on everything that is love
I love being with Him and knowing His wisdom
He always assures me that my Lord has risen
He reminds me of the reasons that I believe
His amazing faith is a joy that I can perceive
I love knowing that He will never leave me
With His hope, faith and love I am surely free
He is the Holy Spirit, the fire sent from Jesus
With His loving grace, He is who frees us
From sorrow, worry and pain that injures
With the Holy Spirit, I’m certainly a winner!