2023 POETIC REFLECTIONS
In the month of November 2023 I received five new poems and one prophetic dream. Last year, at the end of 2022, I compiled a group of prophetic poems that reflected the spiritual battle that our country was in at the time. At that time I remember thinking that I didn’t see how we could survive as a free nation another year, and yet here we are.
At least now, approaching the end of 2023, more of us realize we are not even really a free nation any more. As we struggle to take back our freedom, our eyes are being opened more and more to the depth of evil working against us and the power of God that is working for us. Yes, it is a spiritual battle and many other countries are also now in historical showdowns that will determine their long term future.
I am using very general terms because my purpose is not to review the year but to record the five poems and one dream that came to me near the end of 2023. I think the next few weeks will be pivotal in both of the two great awakenings we are experiencing. The first three poems relate more to the spiritual awakening and the last three entries deal more with the corresponding great cultural and governmental upheaval and awakening.
Here is the first poem of this series.
Heart Meditations
When the enemy sends fiery darts,
our tendency is to harden our heart.
But when we do that, the trouble is
the wall we build to keep bad things out
also keeps good things from coming in.
Although we’re told not to harden our heart,
we’re also told “with all diligence we are to guard
our heart for out of it flows the issues of life.”
How can our heart be guarded but not hardened,
attacked but not harmed?
Evidently we can’t be our own protector.
Wisdom knows where to hide,
doesn’t try to make it’s own cover.
When we’re covered by God’s light
we can be protected and shine.
We may be made from clay,
but His breath gave us His life
That life can shine when our clay chooses light.
All the colors from the earth combined are dark,
but all the colors of light come together as white.
Our earthly nature is as a dark glass.
The nature of sin makes revelation dim.
But if our sin is made white as snow,
then our new perception of Him outshines
our human inability to spirituality see.
His hands formed us and His breath gave us life.
His spirit in us sustains our clay
and something else vital comes into play.
Our human soul comes alive,
free to think and to feel and to decide.
Will we protect ourselves or trust Him?
When our soul cries, our Maker says,
“Run, little one, to the tree of life.
Consume my life and my light
and you will live and you will shine.”
If we go instead to the tree of death
we will be tempted to think good is evil and evil is good
and run away from the One who gave us breath.
We are the light of the world He put us in.
And He’s the light that lights every man.
Every piece of clay He breaths His life into
becomes a living soul, a separate created man,
with a free will that has the power to choose.
The second birth is when the clay decides
to come back into the protection of the Potter’s hand.
© by Margaret Westphal (Nov 2023)