Lead Me to The Water & Link Up
It’s my birthday month – so I am going to do something totally decadent. I’m going to repost some of my favorites. Lead Me to The Water was initially the first of two separate posts 1) Lead Me to the Water, the poem followed by 2) The Story Behind the Poem: The Elephant in the Room. They are combined here. Why now? Lately, we’ve been having discussions about The Holy Spirit with those still in the nest and some in their own nests. Our relationship and understanding of Things of God is continually developing in our pursuit of God and God’s pursuit of us – I think we could called it A Holy Evolution. It seemed timely to pull Lead Me to The Water, shake it out, think it over.
Lead Me to The Water
Someone loved me
loved me enough
to take the time to lead me
lead me back to the door
of my father’s house
Like a run-away child gone missing,
My father, he pursued me
And brought me home
Right to the door
To the door of His home
Standing there watching,
I saw water flow
flow from below the threshold
Below the threshold
Of my father’s home
And the water, it scared me,
Panicked my heart
As though I would drown
And lose myself, my breath, my life
He knew I wasn’t quite ready
To step inside
To handle the water
So he brought me out
Brought me out
And led me around
led me around
to where the water trickled out
under the gaze of the rising son
and he measured
measured the unmeasurable
told me I was ready
gave me his hand
to lead me through the water,
through the water ankle-deep.
And I overcame
Overcame the fear
the fear of the Ankle-deep water
We paused and he measured more
Measured
the immeasurable
told me I was ready
And took my hand again,
To lead me
Lead me through the water
Through the knee-deep water.
And I overcame
overcame the fear
the fear of the knee-deep water.
On the river’s edge, he measured again
Measured the immeasurable
told me I was ready
And once again,
He led me
Led me through the water,
Through the waist deep water
And I overcame
overcame the fear
the fear of the waist-deep water.
On the river’s edge,
Where the water had risen
Too deep to pass through
Deep enough to swim in
He measured,
Measured the immeasurable
He looked at me,
looked at me with love
I told Him I was ready
I took His hand
For Him to lead me
Lead me
to immerse myself
in the river
in the over-my-head river water
And I overcame
overcame the fear
of giving myself fully
to the the Holy Spirit water
to let it carry me
carry me
over the threshold
over the threshold
home
(taken from Ezekiel 47: 1-12)
The Story Behind the Poem: The Elephant in the Room
“Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”
They said, “We have not.”
(Acts 19:2)
I know The Father. I know The Son – but The Holy Spirit for a long time was the elephant in the room. You know what that is – the elephant in the room nobody talks about, ignores, avoids, doesn’t make eye contact, pretends it’s not there but everyone knows it’s there. Except nobody quite knows what to do with it, how to approach it.
I used the excuse that The Holy Spirit was something for extra special people like David, Saul, Mary, John the Baptist, Jesus – but not for regular, everyday Christians like me.
I describe the Holy Spirit in The Power of One as “often the wedding gift most often left unopened. When it is opened, it is a gift no one ever quite knows how to use, so it is shoved to the back of a closet.”
An elephant now shoved in the back of the closet.
“What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this.” John 6: 62-63 (The Message)
I used to be like that with the Holy Spirit. I was a resister.
My pride was part of the problem with this elephant-in-the-room Holy Spirit. Kind of like when someone says, “You know, don’t you?” – and your cheeks flame red because you really don’t know so you just say you do.
Or maybe because your church didn’t really talk about it. I reasoned if my church didn’t teach me about it, then surely there was not more to it – for me at least.
I fell into a trap on that one. Relying on someone else to feed me scripture and knowledge of The Trinity.
You know why public schools were created? So that every citizen could read their bible, so that no one would ever be able to take away their salvation by omission of knowledge. Being able to read the bible gave every citizen control over the destiny of their soul.
I was ignorant (not stupid, just un-educated) about the Holy Spirit – so I ignored him. Ignorance does that about things.
That elephant in the room that is the Holy Spirit? It goes everywhere with you.
“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall
and your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139: 7-10)
Ignorance doesn’t stop The Holy Spirit from trying to get your attention, though. One day, I started going to a church that taught about the Holy Spirit.
That first Sunday, I experienced fight or flight during praise and worship, an out-loud type of praise and worship. Someone told me later, “When you’re in the presence of the Holy Spirit and you don’t know what it is – you can feel that way.”
After praise and worship I sat down. I didn’t leave because there were people on both sides of me, closing off any graceful means of escape. Sitting there, searching for a way out, oh, the sweetest thing happened. Something whispered in my spirit, ‘I am so glad you came. I have been waiting for you” – and peace infused me.
A few weeks later, I brought the whole family (back when we only had 3 sons – LOL).
This is where God took my hand to
“lead me through the water,
through the water ankle-deep” (Lead me to the Water).
This church taught about the Holy Spirit. It was not an elephant in the room. They encouraged researching what the bible says about it – not just taking their word for it.
I will admit – I was scared to jump into that Holy Spirit river. People in that river were dancing, speaking in tongues, living challenges – living 24/7 in that Holy Spirit River – but something in my marrow wanted me to jump.
I read about it, cracked open the door of my mind, but not wanting to be gullible. Until one day, I got a call from my brother. Our dad was in a nursing home – 56 years old and dying. I hadn’t seen him for over a decade. He had never seen my sons. We were expecting a little girl then.
God, my Father, “he took my hand to lead me
Lead me through the water
Through the knee-deep water” (Lead Me to the Water).
“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives” (Galatians 5:25).
I pulled the Holy Spirit out of the back of that closet, let the spirit lead me through the nursing home hallways, into his room. I prayed that God would give me the right words, that maybe he would be saved, that there would be restoration and relationship.
The Holy Spirit surrounded me, protected me, comforted me – during the few weeks I visited with this man, my father, who was more interested in what take-out food I could bring him than in me.
The week he died, so did the little girl I was carrying, at 4 ½ months, her heart stopped beating the same day as his funeral. My heart broke in so many pieces, in so many ways.
I’ll be honest here. A tough honest. I didn’t believe I could be whole – but a daughter, well, maybe she would be whole, not broken through a father’s abandonment – and I wanted a front row seat on that.
But, God, He took my hand and he whispered, “I want you whole – you don’t need a front row seat on anybody’s life to do that.”
And once again,
“He led me
Led me through the water,
Through the waist deep water” (Lead Me to the Water)
I grabbed on tight, wanting Father God to be enough, to fill that huge gaping hole of growing up without a father. I grabbed on tight, knowing my little girl was in heaven. There was a lot of holding on tight there – believing in things I didn’t see but still feeling hurt, empty, abandoned.
Until one night in a Sunday School group, we talked about the Holy Spirit. Someone said, ‘If God has more for me, I want it.”
“If God has more for me, I want it.”
Let me say that again, “If God has more for me, I want it.”
It tore down the last vestiges of my resistance.
I took His hand
For Him to lead me
Lead me
to immerse myself
in the river
in the over-my-head river water (Lead Me to the Water)
I dove in from the top of my soul to the very tips of its toes. When I dove in, healing began.
The Holy Spirit nursed me to wholeness, sat beside me the entire time, held my hand and coached me, told me not to feel sorry for myself, reminded me who I was to the Father.
The Holy Spirit – it’s not just for special Christians. It’s for everyday Christians like you and me.
The Holy Spirit is no longer the elephant in the room of my life. Ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep – until I was ready to go all out – The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit led me there. I am so glad He loved me enough to lead me to The Holy Spirit water!
“The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught” (John 14: 26-27)
Remember Me Monday: #47 & Linky
“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
love extravagant.”
~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message
In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!” (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a father to a child who has forgotten all the love, all the saving, helping, little and big blessings – and it leaves me stunned when I realize our Father, the creator of the universe, who knows things I cannot begin to fathom, who authors storylines that leave me amazed, delights in all of us so much, He cries out, “Remember Me.”
While every day is a Remember God Day, I am inviting you to join me on Monday mornings to come by and remember what God has done for you, for your family. Maybe God sent a cardinal darting out in front of you, as if to tell you, “I’m here,” or broke a child’s fever after you laid it all down at His feet in a 2 a.m. bedside vigil. Maybe He stood with you in the wait of a prayer sent out, or brought someone you loved to Christ. Maybe He healed your broken heart, gave your courage, or you gave Him your dreams as a love offering only to have Him give them back in an unimaginable way. Maybe God helped you survive to bedtime after a crazy Monday, or forgive yourself for missing it with your kiddos –– Whatever it is, let’s Remember Him. . . in a “Remember Me Monday” love letter.
“My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
Of your salvation all the day long,
Though I know not its measure.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord”
~ Psalm 71:15-16.
Let us delight in Him by telling the stories of what He’s done! If you wrote a blog post remembering what He’s done for you, join the linky. If you didn’t but still want to praise Him for what He’s done – write it in the comment section. Then visit a comment before or after yours! One of the beautiful things about the blogging community is the relationships it builds!
Rules? Write long or short, a list or a story, include photos or not. Just Remember Him and what He has done, and let the gratitude of your heart guide you. Let’s make Monday so Rejoice, that the goodness of God spills into the rest of the week!
Places I’m Linking at This Week:
Inspire Me Monday, Instaencouragements,
Legacy Link-Up, Recharge Wednesday
Faith on Fire, Tell His Story, Grace&Truth
Let’s Have Coffee Wednesday Celebrate Your Story
What a lovely post. I must stop by Monday for the story behind the poem. Intrigued! Thank you for stopping by my blog today. It’s lovely to meet you. I am sure you will be blessed teaching your boys re: the sandals of peace. God bless you.
Wonderful prose!! Will definitely be stopping by Monday. 🙂
Beautiful! It reminds me of Isaiah 43
Isa 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
And He gently continues to lead us deeper within Himself, and all it costs us is everything. Precious. 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up!! You asked about the button–on the left hand side is a sliding drawer tab that has says “button codes.” 🙂
And I overcame overcame the fear of giving myself fully to the the Holy Spirit water to let it carry me carry me over the threshold home…i love this…the pictures and words are just beautiful…
Cookville…wow…travel past it all the time…I live south of Nashville…my daughter live in knoxville…and still have family in Kingsport.
You need to stop by for coffee on one of those trips!!
I love this. So beautifully written. 🙂
This is such a beautiful picture of how loving and how patient our Father God is as He leads us to overcome our fears little by little; your words resonated with me and your photos and painting are lovely…so grateful to know that God has wrapped his arms around your family with community…praying He continues to comfort and sustain you.
SO BEAUTIFUL.
I’ve always been intrigued by this passage of Scripture. Love it! Anxious to see the rest of the story!
AH,h,h… tell us about the underwater photo. Wonderful reflections and color.
All my photos were taken on a beautiful day in the Great Smokey Mountains. We were on a journey to find a waterfall! I talk about the trip in “Love Letters from Shaddai” https://bluecottonmemory.com/2012/03/10/love-letters-from-shaddai/. The reflections and colors were part of that Love Letter from Shaddai.
I LOVED this! Had no perception that it was connected in any way to Ezekiel, and I’ve read that many times… in fact, will be reading that particular chapter in the morning on my schedule. The photos and the proses… really caught my attention… and I’m even tired, so wouldn’t have anticipated it. Thanks MUCH!
I love the imagery you created here. I see vulnerability juxtaposed against God’s strength and protection. Beautiful!
This is beautiful! I can’t even pick out a part I like best because it’s all so good! I can’t wait for the story.
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Beautiful!
Ah…immersing myself in the Holy Spirit. I’m thankful He leads gently, allowing us to adjust to the water’s depth. Good thoughts, beautifully written, I’ve found here today.
I love how He gradually gives us more and more, as we need. Love this!
Wow, this is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
Blessings,
Charlotte
He knows when we are ready, doesn’t he? And his timing is perfect.
I love that picture of your toesies in the water. Beautiful.
So beautiful. I love the repetition of words–it gives the poem such a wonderful flow! This is my fav line stanza:
He measured,
Measured the immeasurable
He looked at me,
looked at me with love
I told Him I was ready
I love how he measures the immeasurable in all of us!
I love how you began with “someone” had to love you enough, love Jesus enough, to lead you to the water! And then you transitioned to Jesus leading you. What a beautiful and true illustration of how faith begins! Also enjoyed how the Holy Spirit is seen as the moving waters!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Dear One
This is such a good analogy! It is nice when the words from Scripture becomes alive for one personally. Yes, we were not promised a life without trouble, but that He is with us, holding our hand all the way.
Blessings from Jen’s.
Mia
This is beautiful, dear ML. I love the Ezequiel passage that talks about the different levels of water that the Father wants to take us through! Love the way you share you heart, friend.
This is truly beautiful. God is ever patient with us, going with us in the baby steps needed to grow fully in His grace. Awesome.
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I so enjoyed your poem, your use of repetition, and the emotional punch of your words.
And the elephant in the room, the third Person of the Trinity, doesn’t get nearly enough attention, which is, I suppose, his super power…
I love that Michele – The Holy Spirit is, indeed, the Super Power. Because of it, Peter never denied Christ again!
Awesome poem, Mary Leigh!
“If God has more for me, I want it.” Me too!
That simple phrase was God saying He wanted to fill my plate – to stack it high, instead of putting what I thought was just enough when inside I wanted to stack my plate high.
Oh, Maryleigh, what beautiful thoughts today! I loved your poem, and your story. You brought such encouragement to me, in my own continual walk with the Lord, and in the lives of those I love. Truly, He is the author and perfecter of our faith, stretching and growing us as we are able, helping us to be ready for the next step along the way. Blessings and love to you, dear friend.
“Stretching and growing us as we are able, helping us to be ready for the next step” – oh, friend – He never stops the stretching and growing. There are always new steps – new “classroom” adventures for learning! What a loving Father we have who knows that even grandparents still grow, still go on God-journeys! You and I, Bettie, we’re living a full life! Prayers and blessings as you settle in to your new journey! ~ Maryleigh
Love this poem and theme so much!
If I had to pick just five posts to put in a book for my boys – this would one of those five. There’s more to Him if we just trust Him!
A beautiful post Maryleigh & sending you a big ol’ virtual hug… from this Mama who knows the pain of losing her baby girl & boy too!
Praise God for His comforting healing through His Holy Spirit.
Bless you,
Jennifer
Jennifer – One day! One day we will hug those children! Praise God for His Holy Spirit comfort – and promise! Shalom, friend, ~ Maryleigh
Maryleigh, this is such a beautiful post. I’ve had times when I feared the Holy Spirit because i didn’t understand Him. I’m so thankful for the people in my life who shared and exhorted me to learn more of who He is through God’s words. I’m truly sorry you lost your daughter. Those losses never completely fade from our hearts.
Those who share and exhort us to learn more are water the seeds planted with a Holy Spirit water. So glad, Jeanne, we both were brave enough to step in to more of Him! ~ Maryleigh
Hi Maryleigh, I love the way you have woven your words here into a poem and a picture. They carry us to the water, the willingness to yield fully to all the Lord has for us, and to submerge ourselves in His Holy Spirit.
Will be in touch later.
Blessings, Janis
It was a slow immersion for me, testing, trusting. Thank you for your kind words! Shalom, Janis! ~ Maryleigh
A beautiful poem!
A beautiful testimony behind this story. I’m sad to hear of the heart abandonment, but thankful that you were able to give love to your dad that failed you – early and at the end – and yet God LOVED through you. And I’m sad to hear of your precious daughter’s loss. May the Lord continue to comfort you. And I rejoice with you in the river of His loving Holy Spirit.
Praise God for being a God of “All is Well” (2 Kings 4:26). So glad He shepherds us into those Holy Spirit rivers! Thanks for stopping by Lisa!
I see I commented years ago but I’m enjoying this post again anew this year. Wishing you a wonderful birthday this month, Maryleigh.
Being one who doesn’t like to get into deep water, this was a faith-filled post for me to read. Thanks for reposting the beauty of your poetry and faith!
I didn’t know about your little girl. My heart goes out to you; I have a little girl in heaven too.
One day, my friend, hopefully a long way from now – the hugs we will get to share with those little girls! Thanks for re-reading – it’s so dear to my heart! Shalom, friend! ~ Maryleigh
Your poem reminded me of a Bible lesson I just read on Crossing the Jordan River. The priests had to carry the ark into the river before the water backed up. It took great faith but as they walked in deeper deeper the water resided. Found you at Blue Cotton Mondays
I love that lesson, Mandy! – as they walked deeper and deeper the water resided – oh, how I love that! BTW – where is Blue Cotton Mondays? I like the sound of that!