Visions of Spring: God Hears the Longings of our Souls

It's always best, though troubling at times, to be honest with God and share the cries of the heart. By practicing this, we only confirm what the Searcher of Hearts already knows. But one of the great things about God is His patience for our confession. He desires to hear the longing of our souls and respond in creative ways which we, being in His image, are able to comprehend. For the artist this can be done through scenic landscapes; the musician through sweet melodies; the scientist through complex laws and realities; and the intellectual through readings and wisdom. I by no means consider myself an intellectual but I notice God reaching me through the written word more and more. In responce to my previous blog, I have since been comforted but the words of the most unlikely of preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

If you are all like me, you are far from being always alike. I am sometimes lifted up to the very heavens, and then I go down to the deeps; I am at one time bright with joy and confidence, and at another time dark as midnight with doubts and fears. Even Elijah, who was so brave, had his fainting fits. We are to be blamed for this, and yet the fact remains: our experience is as an April day, when shower and sunshine take their turns. Amid our mournful changes we rejoice to hear the Lord's own voice, saying, 'Fear not: for I have redeemed thee.' Everything is not a changeful wave; there is a rock somewhere. Redemption is a fact accomplished.

-Till He Come, 1896

Yes, it is striking the same person who preached the infamous "Turn or Burn" sermon and focused so heavily on evangelistic responce would be used to comfort me with an honest spirituality. But God works in mysterious ways.

It is not a coincidence that God uses literature and music to teach us spiritual truth for they both delight the soul. Anyone seeking to know the thoughts of God but refuses to acknowledge their own spiritual reality will end their journey either in vain or seriously malnourished. In The Story of Christian Spirituality, Herman Selderhuis wisely ask:

Are not poetry and spirituality twins? Is not a song the highest expression of spirituality? Is not a novel the best way to show how spirituality is an everyday item? Christian spirituality is not only a matter of theology, but just as much a matter of literature and music. While some of the writers, poets and composers intensely wanted to convey a message to their audience, most simply expressed their own spirituality, and in this way influenced the spiritual life of others. Many poems, novels and hymns display this remarkable combination of demonstration and influence.

Spirituality longs for expression; it cannot remain hidden. And in many cases words are not sufficient in themselves, but need to be completed by music.

Therefore, I know the dreamer will dream again; the musician will capture; the poet will write; and the creator will create. Let us confess our longings and once again be filled with inspiration. Rejoice! Visions of spring draw near.

Tired of Winter

Does anyone else get tired of the depressing nature that is winter? Cold weather, cloudy skies, and dead trees culminate to produce the opposite of life. Seriously, there's nothing good about winter; only that it is preceeded by Fall and gives purpose to Spring. I say all this knowing that I do not have it as bad as many in America. I live in Charlotte where winters are very mild. STILL, this season brings out the worse in me. It reminds me of all that is dark in life, even death itself. I'm amazed with the correlation of my temperament and the seasons. I've noticed one springlike day in the midst of winter will put me in a totally different mood. I can't helped but ponder: How do people in Siberia live? And of course, the antithesis: Why would anyone leave southern California? Maybe it's just me. Why do I only listen to Nirvana Unplugged and the somber lyrics of Fiona Apple in the wintertime? It's simple: Winter is death. The metaphor of life hits home with the pathos of man.

I cannot express how much I anticipate Spring. Time for rebirth....time for redemption....time for new beginnings.....time for life.