(Well) Versed
There’s just something about verse, you know?
Poetry. Lyrics. They have the power to bypass the gatekeeper (the brain) and deliver their goods directly to the heart.
A song or poem, delivered at just the right time, has the potential to redirect our thoughts or the trajectory of our day. Verse stirs up – or validates – emotion. It provides balm for our pain and encouragement for the struggle at hand.
Carefully curated words set to music (or silence) are loaded with possibilities we may never have considered before. They can help us process those feelings we have a hard time pinning down, and they can unlock access to the depths of our experience which we rarely allow to see the light of day.
One of the women I meet with talks about the power of music nearly every time we’re together. She hears a song at just the right time, reminding her of the power of God, the gift of life, or something else she needs to hear just then.
One of the groups I met with recently wasn’t sure just how to begin the conversation. We shared in the reading of a poem, and what happened next can only be described as a firehose experience. The verse tapped into a well of misery and we drained that thing as best we could.
Ephesians 5:18b-20 reminds us to “be filled with the Spirit. Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Let’s take some time to unpack what Scripture says about the power of verse! As we do, I’ll be sharing some of my own creative efforts and inviting you to contribute your own psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to the mix.
In the meantime, perhaps you’d like to weigh in on today’s community-building question (use the comment area below to share your thoughts):
When was the last time you encountered verse
and found yourself moved?
My sense of stability and financial security has been pulled out from under me and I find myself learning what total dependence on God really looks like. When I hear the song, Honey in the Rock by Brooke Ligertwood, it centers me and helps me to trust that God will provide all I need. He promises to take care of us and He is abundantly faithful, so I will rest in Him. I will follow Him through each day and be on the lookout for all the things he is providing, big and small.
Debbie – this is a wonderful message of hope! Wow! I love the energy of the worship team in the video, too. You’ve given us a gift here! Thank you so much for sharing your heart – and your song!