Bible Apps, VUCA, and a Table [Part 2]
In part one of this blog post I reflected on some of the world’s most searched for verses in 2016 on the Bible app YouVersion. One of the threads in the blog post was the need for hope in complex times. The post finishes in the words of David, the writer of much of the book of Psalms. I had finished in the words of Psalm 23v5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.”
A few years ago I wrote this poem as a reflection on these words. I wasn’t particularly feeling like the psalmist but I find the imagery in there fascinating and wanted to dig into it a bit deeper.
I Sat Down With Love
Could have been dawn’s whispered tendrils or the moon’s watchful stare Either way the figure, silhouetted, scaling the ridge was undeniably Love His blackened shape, the same head and shoulders and form as any other Yet something different, the presence of hope shone in greater focus He descended, like He was always meant to do, into the night My soul feeling sudden warmth in the midst of all that made it so cold And He carried on, His slow march direct and purposeful The dark cloaking His face, but His eyes, I knew, were fixed on me With goblins and witches and demons writhing to their pounding drums Their choruses echoing around and around, screwing their way into my core Words and claws, wrapping around my throat, gouging, choking, robbing Oblivious to the presence of Love as He walked through their throngs and arrived His destination found in my torn and battered frame The songs of death surrounding me drawn to silence as His eyes met mine His gaze strong, Screaming hope, shouting peace, into my chaos While those who would gift me harm continued their frenzies Love set a table Pulled back two chairs Sat down And asked me to join Him So I sat down with Love and we talked, and each word He spoke lifted me Every sentence of His dragging me closer to breath, to expanding lungs Every sentence of mine lifted weights off shoulders so in need of flight And as His words mingled with mine, the depths of night felt the kiss of day And as richest of horrors tried to terrify, their attacks felt impoverished Love acknowledged with a smiled nod, as I asked Him if this was peace Picking up a flask of water He filled my cup to soaked table cloth And pushing the cup through the drenched folds, summoned me to drink To drink deep, to let this water birth an answer to my thirst Love’s voice, softly singing to my soul, could not be ignored Allowing my bloodied hand to take the cup from His bloodied hand I drank deep, Love’s presence flowing inward, reaching, restoring Waters resonating with places pierced with pain, with wells left empty Filling these caverns with life, ebbing skyward to the tips of lips That could now breath again, that could let the winds of change enter in And these torrents of life cascaded outward, upward and into song I sat with Love and our songs mingled, wafting into the night’s crisp shell
This blog post was brought to you by....Oli Higham
Oli Higham is part of the leadership team at the Rock Community Church. He finds it hard to sum himself up in a few sentences. However he loves Jesus and is also rather fond of his family, films, coffee, rugby, Arsenal FC, poetry, spray paint, beards, cooking and laughing.