The Gift of Poetry

"Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts." Ephesians 5:18b-19

The Bible is filled with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Entire books were written in the form of poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, etc.).

God didn't have to communicate His Word this way, yet He chose to.

Why?

Perhaps it is because poetry can do something which narratives or didactic teaching cannot: poetry provides the human heart a place to dwell. It transports us. It shapes our thoughts. It gives a voice to the longings and turnings in our souls.

The beautiful thing is that most, if not all of us have been impacted by poetry in one form or another - whether written, spoken, or sung. There's just something about it that resonates deep within us.

Poetry most often comes out of an experience - sometimes tragic, sometimes wonderful, sometimes mundane - and while there is no exact correspondence between the depths of our experiences and a language's ability to capture that experience, God has gifted us with poetry as a means of expressing the depths of despair, joy, and the ordinary.

He's given us this gift in His Word to be able read and mediate on, but He's also given us this gift to equip us to express adoration of Him and His workings in our hearts and lives.

So, friends, here's a glimpse into what God has been doing in my heart lately. It's definitely not the typical type of writing I share - so bear with me. I'm no poet like Edgar Allen Poe, and certainly no psalmist like King David. I'm simply a Christian, attempting to let my soul magnify the Lord by making music to Him in my heart. 

I challenge you to do the same. Grab a journal and a pen and get to writing, open up the notes app in your phone and get to typing, tap record on a voice memo and get to speaking or singing. Make music (poetry) to God. And spend some time letting your heart dwell in the poetry of Scripture.

for years
i’ve carried
the weight of my shame
mistakes and heartache
all of this pain

for years
i’ve walked
alone and afraid
unable to face
the decisions i’ve made

for years
i’ve run from
the grace offered to me
believing I didn’t deserve it
that God wasn’t for me

but now
i take refuge
in the goodness of God
believing His promise to prosper
and work all things for good

so for years
i’ll sing praises
of the strength of my God
His presence surrounds me
Grace and mercy abound