The Spirit said to me,

bouquet-871899_1280
in the first instant of your being
I laid a burden on you,
which, if you now accept it
by the power of my grace,
can be for you as light
as a billowing cloud.

You see, I desire your arms
to be my arms, open
wide for all in need of
forgiveness and compassion.
your legs to be my legs,
carrying you to where
there is a need
for your special gifts.
your hands to be my hands,
creating beauty to inspire
and delight, your fingers
to be my fingers, pointing
to the paths of truth and
reconciliation, your heart
to be my heart, flowing
with love like a fountain
over a dry, brittle,
cynical world.

You, perhaps, are confused
that I call this burden light.
It can be light because
burdens are made heavy
by anxiety over control
and results. But I tell you
this day, that if you choose
to embrace this vision, control
and results will be mine to bear,
and you, my friend, can go forth
in peace.

© 2014 Dennis Ference

30 thoughts on “The Spirit said to me,

  1. Dennis this is profound! It truly arrived from Spirit!! I love that we both had “clouds” in our words today and posted relatively at the same time!! This is really a masterpiece…I will read it many times! ❤ ❤

  2. brilliant, beautiful poetry and so evocative of the concept of the incarnating soul in Hindu thought ( see my blog Search for the Soul’ at indrajitrathore.wordpress.com ) – the soul does not force itself on its incarnated physical body ruled by the ego – it merely suggests salvation and evolution and is often ignored as an irrelevant voice from within and therefore suffers to join future incarnations till it is finally heard and the arms become Its arms and the legs Its legs and so on – Gandhi and the apostles managed to heed the soul’s inner urgings – while Hitler and most of us wondered – ‘what nonsense – where is this coming from’?

  3. It is certain that those burdens turn to blessings……if we choose. Some may need to be broken to make this choice, but as your poem so lovingly indicates, there is such softness and grace in the process (sometimes only realized in hindsight).

  4. I really agree that it is our excessive need for control that cuts us off from greater experiences and makes everything burdensome. Life is better as an adventure of love, with our loving God at the helm, and us open all the possibilities he has in store for us.

  5. Thank you for liking my blog. Your poem is a gift of the Spirit today. As I prepare to lead the third or three visioning retreats with a church, I know I have found my closing statement for them in your poem. May I share it in its entirety at this workshop?

  6. Pingback: The Spirit said to me, — Merging Traffic – We Are The Reminder

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