Lenten Writing Prompt #3
There are many metaphors for the Holy Spirit. Dove, Holy Ghost, breath, wind...write your thoughts about the Holy Spirit today using either a new metaphor that you come up with or write about the Holy Spirit using an old one that has helped your faith and understanding.
Spirit
ReplyDeleteMost comfortably “She” this third persona of the Trinity,
Amazing presence of The One Who Is, brings about life.
Free to act, to summon, to lift up, to encourage from infinity,
Spirit engages all with an abundance that heals all strife.
Dance becomes a metaphor as Spirit engages the day.
Costumes of all colors, all possibilities can be seen.
Rhythm, movement, life’s beat backs creations’ play.
Created order comes out of Spirit’s big bang bean.
Attending all creation, Spirit rejoices in this unique time.
Master plan far beyond limited minds’ kith and ken.
Each minute element touched by a powerful love sublime.
No detail lacking, Spirit wields Creators’ kindly pen.
Empowerment always a sign of Spirit’s presence,
Hope, persistence, care beyond reward, qualities bestowed.
Humanity best exemplifies the image of God’s essence.
An eternal power supply never to diminish nor corrode.
Word Become Flesh finds Spirit a constant delight.
Each beat of His heart ‘minded this innate gift.
In His three plus decade sojourn Spirit eased His fright.
As death summoned, Spirit went before to heal the rift.
Feminine-Masculine, truth embraces both without pause.
Wholeness, without gender limits, Spirit gathers all.
Freedom to hold creations’ chalice without sins’ flaws,
This mighty Summoner awaits history’s end with love’s call.
Naming One, another role Spirit plays.
Minds observe, ponder, wonder at the seen.
Scientific term, poetic thought displays.
Brilliant phrase turned well, divinely keen.
Present One reminds us of who we are.
Sentient beings anxious with abandonment’s pain,
Noting pulse, respiration’s ebb, flow, God’s not gone far.
Holding all in love, nothingness only sin’s disdain.
So my friends, relax into Spirits’ embrace.
Loosen fears fretful hold with kindly release.
Into this day boldly walk, take up your loads trace.
Spirit strengthens so that our mission won’t cease.
The Rev. Ronald Allen Melver, M.Div.
15.2.13
Beautiful! Lovely! Truly spirit-infused.
Delete"Loosen fear fretful hold with kindly release" I can feel the release Ronald. Thank you!
DeleteThe Holy Spirit reminds me of a quiet shy girl in my high school class (1974-78). She moved to our small Iowa town with her family when she was in Junior High, and because she did not grow up with the rest of us, and because she was not a beauty queen, cheerleader or athlete, she had few friends. But I enjoyed talking to her and discovered she was bright and smart. She wrote her own version of the "Illiad" just for fun! She is someone that I hope to visit with again someday. The last I knew of her was when she wrote about her accomplishments for our 10 year reunion journal: "I manage a second hand clothing store, but I like my boss. I also am writing the next best-selling book of great literature."
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that the Holy Spirit would manage a second hand clothing store and would refuse to write just for the sake of profit. What think ye?
Joel Lohafer
joel;
Deletei enjoy your earthy candor. indeed Spirit has a down to earth nature and rather disarming presence. well put!
ronaldo
Absolutely. You've really got a great image there!
DeleteMarlene Obie
DeleteDefinitely!
I'm with you on the manager of a second hand store, finding new uses for things people discard, new uses for people discarded - I think you are on to something!
DeleteI know it's fun working in a used clothing store. I've done that. I know it's fun writing! The holy spirit works on both!
DeleteSylvia.
Spirit -
ReplyDeleteCompassionate, Wise,
Breathing, Healing, Leading,
Pray-er, Faith-Giver, Witness, Life,
Inspiring, Helping, Filling,
Holy, Joyful,
Wind.
RuthAnn;
Deletea great collection of titles. Spirit is so inclusive.
ronaldo
Deletefrom Marlene
Many gifts in one beautiful package!
a melodic list, nice ..... "Wise" touches me tonight. Thanks
DeleteMighty Missouri
ReplyDeleteby Marlene Obie
Since I was very young, I have known you,
Mighty, constantly moving Presence, through days
and seasons of my life and place from which I came.
You flow through the middle, from a confluence of
three clear mountain rivers, each an amazing entity,
born of bubbling springs, urged down mountainsides
and across meadows, refreshing and creating
even before your unique joint entity emerges
as a the mysterious one-in-three and three-in-one.
Your journey is not stopped or deterred as
additional water, rock, soil, flora and fauna
enter your flow and hook into your current.
All are received without discrimination and
incorporated into the journey.
Individual needs and yearnings are respected
while participants are nudged along, inspired
to give, encourage, feed one another and
enjoy the ride. Yet, lazy, renewing floats
are encouraged, sometimes insistently.
Forbidden to stand too close lest I be swept away,
I often watched as I crossed the bridge,
always in awe of your magnitude.
You who gather, churn, deposit, rush, glide,
build up, twist, splash and ever flow on,
I am eternally with you, however far away
I may be from The Electric City
you have powered for generations.
“So I will sail my vessel ‘til the river runs dry….”
From “The River” by Garth Brooks
Crisp, sharply written! I like it Marlene!
DeleteMarlene, I love your use of the Mighty Mo river as metaphor for Holy Spirit.
DeleteSail on Columbia! Inclusive grace, joyful abandon of all superficial boundaries. wow.
Deleteronaldo
The Holy Spirit is
ReplyDeleteas close as my breath
as distant as the Cosmos
as intimate as my heartbeat
as great as the loudest thunderclap
my Helper, carrying my unspoken prayers
with sighs too deep for understanding
the Friend, who will never leave me
the small Voice I hear
that quietly reminds me to
Be Still, and Know that I AM
the Holy Spirit is
the reason I can keep the Faith
my link to a Living God
gives me strength to keep trying in Life
She is known as
Shekinah - Divine Presence
Hokmah/Sophia- Divine Wisdom
Paraclete - Divine Intercessor and Comforter
Seen through
the Dove of Baptism
the Fire of Pentecost
th same Breath that moved
on the surface of the waters at Creation
and now moves in my prayers
Above all, the Holy Spirit reminds me
that God is not just "out there"
God is a God who is with me
always
inside me
just as surely as He is in
the Bread and Wine
fHs
Sara
"The same Breathe that moved on the surface of Creation and now moves in my prayers" I love that line. No that line moves inside me. very nice. Thank you
DeleteSara;
Deleteyou've brought me into the milieu of Spirit. thank you for capturing the essence and the pathway,
ronaldo
The Spirit
ReplyDeleteAs a young boy
it was clear to me
that the Spirit
was our “piece of God”.
God created
Jesus saved
and the “Spirit”
was here now
giving life to the communion.
As a young man
I was taught
that God was more confusing than that,
that God is "three" and still "one",
that God is as close as our heart
and beyond our understanding.
As an old man
I cherish again
that the “Spirit”
is here now
giving life to this communion.
Sometimes the child that leads them
is inside of you.
Larry;
Deletemay that little boy find expression in you every day. may the dear beloved child be led by Spirit to express the joy.
ronaldo
"sometimes the child that leads them is inside of you". That is profound. Thank you for that image : )
DeleteMy favorite metaphor for the Holy Spirit is wind. I think it is appropriate for the least understood and least talked about person of the Trinity. Like the Holy Spirit, wind is invisible. We don't see the wind, we see only it's effects, like tree branches swaying. We feel the wind against our skin, in the same way we can feel God's presence at certain moments.
ReplyDeleteWind has a broad range of personalities. It can appear as a soft, gentle breeze that refreshes us on a hot day. It can be useful, we can use it's power to generate electricity, and travel across oceans. The Holy Spirit comforts us and empowers us for works of compassion. Wind can also be frustrating and a source of irritation; a bitter cold wind can drive us inside on a winter day. The Holy Spirit challenges us, occasionally causing frustration in our comfortable lives. Wind can also be horribly destructive. Tornados kill people and destroy property every year. This is the most difficult aspect of God's personality to reconcile with. But after destruction comes rebuilding. We can't remodel without a period of demolition first. The soft, gentle breeze may be the most welcome side of God presence in our lives, but hopefully we can learn to appreciate the wind of God whenever it blows near us.
Melinda
Melinda;
DeleteRuah comes in so many ways. you are a spiritual wind-surfer. may the love you know guide.
ronaldo
Thank you Melinda - I mystery of the wind is one of my favorite images too - thank you for reminding me
DeleteHoly Spirit
ReplyDeleteI have known you from an early age
Simply as
Muse
When you sweep over me, I feel
Tingle
Warmth
Inspiration
My eyes glaze, I relax and my consciousness rolls up into my brain like a retractable shade
You come over me like an exquisite yawn
Climaxing in ideas
Urging me to capture the words
Pull over if I’m driving
Drop my other projects
Try to keep up with the ideas shooting past me
Don’t lose it!
Keep up!
words on a page
ways to connect people
Making this world a better place
Understanding myself
Sometimes I am frantic with exhilaration
You are me
You are outside of me
You are inside me
Using your muse-breath to whisper sweet somethings
Which I can never resist.
Yes.
DeleteSH
ah the sentiment of a sister! verdant with expectation!
Deleteronaldo
"Try to keep up..." I love that feeling!
Delete