Be the Poem by Tina Hunt

Today’s guest blogger is Tina Hunt. Tina’s passion is communicating and connecting through the spoken and written word. For over twenty years Tina was a pastor, a chaplain, and a counselor. Her speaking is characterized as energetic, entertaining, and encouraging, and her writing is practical and leaves you with the feeling you’re sitting together sharing a cup of something warm together. You can find devotions by Tina published on line at ChristianDevotions.us and InspireAFire.com, in print in The Secret Place, and included in the devotional published by Pearls of Promise Ministry.  She also has a blog where she shares book reviews and spiritual reflections, www.PotOfManna.wordpress.com.

Recently this phrase has popped up a few times on my Facebook feed. It appears that it is part of a longer phrase: if you can’t be the poet, be the poem.

As I pondered these few words I remembered something Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers: For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

The word that Paul uses for ‘masterpiece’ is the Greek word ποίημα {poy’-ay-mah}. We are God’s poem.

Why do we write poems? To convey thoughts, for enjoyment—our own and for others.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism tells us that our chief purpose or end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Be the poem. Be the poem you were created to be. What message do we give to others about God? God the Father. God the Creator. God the Poet. What story can he only tell through us? Why do we hesitate to do that, to be that?

We all have dark days, those days when we feel purpose-less. On those days, we need to remind ourselves: we are God’s masterpiece. Our picture hangs in the Lourve of God’s heart. We are all over his refrigerator. Quit doubting it—be His masterpiece.

I’m sometimes one of those doubters. Looking back at choices I’ve made, I’m left to wonder if I’m not more of a mess than a masterpiece. But then I’m reminded of a story tucked in the book of Jeremiah.

God instructs Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. When he’s there he watches the potter at the wheel. He’s making a vessel, but it’s not turning out right. Here’s the way Jeremiah describes it: the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over (Jeremiah 18:4, NLT).

Too often we get to the part where when things aren’t turning out as we hoped, or the way we imagine God hopes, we walk away. We get to the crushing and we think we’re done. But that’s not how God works! Notice, even the crushing has a purpose—it’s how God starts over.

Julia Cameron wrote the book, The Sound of Paper. It’s a delightful treatise on developing our creativity. When I bought it the only sound of paper I was hearing was the scrunching up of pieces of paper that represented all the bad beginnings of my writing.

Maybe the problem was my trying to be the poet, when I was supposed to be the poem, to tell the story I was created to tell.

A prayer for today: God, as we consider the beauty of your creation, we often fail to include ourselves. We are your masterpiece, your poem. Help us in our lives today to convey your message and purpose, and to bring glory to your name.