child of God

Righteousness

Since I wrote my last blog post about contentment, it has been quite a journey—a more difficult journey than I expected. Part of this journey has been learning to stop doing for the sake of doing and listen to what the Lord wants me to do (or not do). That leads me to last night where I debated back and forth between reading something I wanted to read or writing and spending time with the Lord. As I finally stopped the debate and knew what I was supposed to do, I wondered what I was going to write. And the Lord clearly said, “I want you to write a poem.” I didn’t know what to write a poem about, but He already knew what I was going to say and responded, “Write what I tell you.” The Lord has always helped me write when I’ve asked so I knew He would this time. Also, for reasons unbeknownst to me, it was important to share this poem today, so here it is:

Righteousness

Righteousness dwells in the house of the Most High

where death and shadows abate.

Newness of life springs forth

while hell’s gates close their fate.

What once was dead is now alive,

breathing for the first time in the kingdom of heaven.

Rejoice, sons and daughters of the Most High,

for the slave has become a child of God,

filled with the Spirit,

embraced by the Son,

forgiven by the Father.

Joy overflowing.

Love pursuing.

Peace overcoming.

New life triumphs over death

as flesh and spirit converge,

demanding the choice between

wickedness or righteousness.

The Spirit of God within is greater than

the spirit without,

battling temptations,

building faith,

enduring trials,

finishing the race,

when, at last, the child of God hears those fateful words,

“Well done, good and faithful servant.

Enter into My rest.”

©Lauren Demuth

Discovery

This is another poem that I wrote about five years ago. For a long time I struggled with (and sometimes still do) who I’m supposed to be. I wanted to please people and also help people. A lot of times those things turned into pain. I had quite a bit of anger and bitterness at the time. I also felt like I was supposed to share myself with others through writing and singing. Such things were scary to consider because I didn’t know what people would think. I’m still learning how not to care so much, but I’ve also grown to understand that if my heart is to please God and encourage others then how bad can it be? 🙂 Well here’s the poem that formulated with all of these thoughts.

Discovery (originally written March 9, 2009)

I halt around each corner.

Fear grips me as I tiptoe

my way to discovery.

What will I find?

Better yet, who?

 

With each step I try to gain

courage.

I know what’s coming: the mirror.

Who will it be this time?

 

The perfectionist, perhaps?

The singer?

Coward?

Servant?

Reject?

The strong one?

Not this time;

the masks have been discarded.

 

Instead, I find myself as a child

being held in the arms of Time Itself,

being carried by the only True Love that exists,

being reminded of the beauty created within me.

 

I weep staring at the image I thought was lost.

I reach desiring to grab hold of my dreams.

I want to remember this image forever

because I can see I have always been His.

 

He is my journey.

He is my discovery around every corner

of every trial

of every chapter

of my life.

 

Beyond the masks eternally lies this image:

Fearlessness in the arms of God,

Who shapes every inch,

Who mends each broken piece,

Whose love exposes truth

in pain

and joy

in tears.

 

My hope runs with His blood.

My heart beats with each new song of creation.

My soul weeps with the broken

for I am a part of Him:

His image,

my discovery.

© Lauren Heiligenthal