I'm writing for Five Minute Friday and today's prompt is HIDDEN.
I'm cheating this week because it's been mentally taxing, and I'm running out of time to do all that needs doing before tomorrow's commitments. Plus I've had an extra task given to me because someone is sick (doing the communion talk at church) so I'm feeling even more stretched.
So, here it is, a poem I wrote many years ago, when I was in a season of hiddenness with no end in sight.
Since then, I've learnt the blessings of being hidden in plain sight, back in a church family, but even more hidden in Him than ever.
THE ROSE
I saw in a garden, in a
quiet, little place,
A rose red as scarlet,
full of beauty and grace.
Why is it there? For whom does it grow?
Does anyone see it, will
anyone ever know?
Why has the Gardener
planted it there?
Does anyone notice, will
anyone care?
Is it enough for the
Gardener to know
To enjoy its beauty, and
see that it grows?
It seemed such a waste,
for its beauty not to be seen
By the rest of the
world, like some hidden-away queen.
There in a garden, a
beautiful gem,
Growing lovely and strong,
but only for Him.
But then I saw Him, and
saw the joy on His face,
As His rose grew there, in
that secret place,
I saw His delight and the
love in His eyes,
As He pruned and He adored
His beloved prize.
This prize was a gift,
redeemed by His Son,
Who’d hung on that cross,
till the victory was won.
To His Father, He gave His
life just for this,
To buy back this gem, and
present it to Him.
Had it been bruised, was
it limp and forlorn?
How much had He pruned it,
to bring it back to its form?
How much love had He spent
to bring it around,
To the way that it looked,
to be the gem that I’d found.
There in the garden, in
that quiet, secret place,
Under His gaze, receiving
His grace,
For whom, Christ in His
passion, paid the ultimate price,
It got me to wondering, it
made me think twice.
Am I content to be, is it
enough for me
To be a rose that only You
will see?
There’s so much I could do
for You, in some other place,
Is it enough for me to be
here, under Your gaze?
Will I let You prune me,
to bring me around,
Allow You to form me, like
the gem that I found?
If nobody ever sees and
nobody ever knows
Am I content, just to be,
Your hidden, scarlet rose?
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock. Ps 27:5
Oh the wisdom of the Father's heart
Oh the depths of Your unfailing love
Kath, your poem is a gift. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteHe never did get far in life,
nor learned his lessons very well,
nor built a home with a young wife
before the day came that he fell
in a bloody foreign field,
for a cause he didn't ken
that from the elders asked a yield
of so many younger men
who are now names upon a Wall,
a place where placid tourists stroll,
lives now gone beyond recall,
but reflected there one sees each soul
marked by man to do as bidden,
to be in God's love safely hidden.
There's no shame in taking a shortcut when you have such beautiful poetry to share.
ReplyDeleteMake sure to rest in Christ in the coming days.
FMF#3
What an absolutely beautiful poem, Kath! Thanks for sharing it with us! FMF #5
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletesometimes, in our busyness, looking to the past to help is a good thing. Today... a good thing. :) FMF16
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem and scripture at the end. Thank you for your words!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem, Kath. It touched my heart and made me teary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.