Saturday, August 10, 2013

Tree of Life


" Hope deferred makes the heart sick
but a desire fulfilled
is a tree of life"
Proverbs 13:12 ESV

When God does grant a deep desire of the heart...
He wants to make me a beautiful,
life giving, constantly renewing
beautiful tree

like a lovely jacaranda tree
with profuse lavender blooms
that fill the air with sweet perfume
and cascade down to carpet with softness
and stunning beauty


But how easily my heart drifts from you when you bless me so
and how insidiously fear creeps in
How can my heart be kept
when all I have earnestly longed for
is before me?

Suffering draws me out of myself like the warmth and light of the sun 
 causing the petals on a flower to open and expand outward
need of you draws me out of myself
soaking in your life giving rays
bringing life and beauty
 providing nector to others
right here where I am

But when what I really really want does actually happen, 
 I feel myself closing, folding inward
wanting to withdraw again 
deep into myself
to grasp onto 
what has brought joy,
 pleasure,
love,
 affection,
calm.
But in that 
instinctive impulse
I lose you
and become unwilling to be vulnerable again
to take a risk
to extend myself in fragility with you

I want to take my treasure and go bury it away in a deep dark hole
where no one can ever take it away from me again

The sunlight fades
the beauty dies
there is no longer nourishment in me to give out
I become shriveled
withered
dying

Oh how I need you
 when I know that I need you
when I feel so desperately that I need you

Oh how I still need you even more when I no longer feel desperate, alone
forsaken and overwhelmed

I need you but might not seek you
might try to seek life apart from you

How you want to give, to bless, to love
to enjoy fellowship and communion with us
How easily we forget about you
don't make time for you
ignore your words
take you for granted
treat you in a careless flippant, disposable way

You want a relationship that had moved beyond what you can do for me
You want to know and be known 
Not for what you offer
or what you give
or what you can do 
but for who you are

21 "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things".  
Romans 1:21-23 KJV


25' Who changed the truth of God into a lie, 
and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,
 who is blessed for ever. Amen".  
Romans 1:25 KJV

To glorify you
To thank you
to give you the proper place of God in my life
you are God
you are God
I am not god 
I am not

to offer praise and thanksgiving for each and every blessing that you give
acknowledges that it is your gift
your blessing 
your love
you are the source
you are the Sun 
from which all life depends
I cannot live without you
no matter how blessed you have made me

Oh Lord, give me a grateful heart to acknowledge you are everything
and everything you give is but a gift
give me clarity to see that whether gifts come or go
you always remain
you are the same
you are all

"He said, "Naked I came from my mother;s womb, 
and naked shall I return there;
 the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord"
Job 1:21 NRSV

the one healed leper who returned to give you thanks
acknowledging you and your wonder 

it is a fight to remain vulnerable



"11 I am not saying this because I am in need, 
for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

12 I know what it is to be in need,
 and I know what it is to have plenty.
 I have learned the secret of being content
 in any and every situation, 
whether well fed or hungry,
 whether living in plenty or in want.

 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles."
Philippians 4:11-14

to be content with you
in difficult deprivation,
devastating disappointment or
bountiful blessing

to trust you to keep my heart in blessing
and to keep my heart in suffering

only you can help me hold You the source
of all I truly need
you, the Sun

only you can help me stay open
as a fragile flower
vulnerable
flexible 
feeling
caring 
engaged
connected
human
alive
nourished and
nourishing

To receive whatever you give 
to give it back to you
to hang on to you
soaking in your awe
wonder and love

You are beautiful
you make your beauty
shine in me


Bless you for this post from Ann Voskamp

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/08/when-you-are-broken-the-now-traumatic-disorder-of-everyday-life/



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