Poem: "O Ancient of Days"

(A list of all the posts in this series can be found here.)

This past month, the Abbey of the Arts has been posting prompts for lectio divina (which I haven't done yet, hmm), photography, poetry and dance. I did the poetry one while on retreat.

The prompt was basically: what ways am I being called to newness? what doorways are opening for me?

I sat down and prayed the Jesus Prayer repeated for each wooden bead on the Anglican prayer beads that a monk made for me and went around three times. At each of the larger beads, I paused and asked myself the prompt.

This is what I wrote:

O Ancient of Days --

the breeze blusters,
chill and cleansing,
through my gilt hair,
through my heart,
chasing after me
through a new threshold
of seeing Judaism
in the heart of Christ,
of seeking God
in the heart of Judaism.

(written 9/26/13)

When I wrote this, I originally had "seeking" instead of "seeing" for both of them. When I copied it into my art journal, "seeking" became "seeing" for both lines, and then when I finally copied it into my spiritual journal, the above occurred.

That caused future reflection.

Seeing means that I have found that which I'm looking at. In my recent reading, I feel I've found Judaism in Jesus' heart. It's a fact! What that looks like for living into my faith is a whole 'nother ball of wax.

"Seeking God" -- isn't that a life long goal? I've recently had the sense that I'll be able to understand God better if I understood Judaism better. That there's more outside the box I've made for God. Since EfM (Education for Ministry) I've realized that I've put God in a box, and that we all do it. I have this sense of knowing God is bigger than this box, but what that is, is a mystery beyond my comprehension. It doesn't stop the seeking though.

Bonus: click through on this link to read other people's poetry responses to this prompt.