“Seek to sense the sacred in the everyday. Notice God’s Presence. Pay attention to His holy whispers.” (Joy Lenton, adapted)
NOTICING THE SACRED
I have a goal of seeking to sense the sacred in the everyday, then write about my experiences (which are often expressed as poetry). Sometimes the days slip away unheeded, and I miss the holy whispers that God speaks to me through His Word, through life events and people, or through nature.
Either I’m too preoccupied with things or too inward-looking to notice them. Maybe I am simply too tired or in too much pain to perceive them. Perhaps you can relate? The good news is that while God waits for us to pay attention, He doesn’t scold us for being distracted now and then. Rather, our every attempt to notice is welcomed by Him.
This poem arose from a desire to listen better and sense God’s presence more deeply. It also stemmed from a reflective look at times when noticing has paid dividends for me in terms of heightened awareness of the sacred in my midst.
AWARENESS
I might sense
the slight tightening
of a stitch,
an awareness
of being hemmed in,
then easily miss
the way you weave
your miracles
in the mundane.
Unless my eyes
are open, noticing,
ready for
a surprise, prepared
to watch and see
what lies behind
the ordinary,
then I could glimpse
the deftly woven
warp and weft
of your holy threads,
your embroidering.
Although it is more
than a visual
response, more than
a second glance
required to
observe a sacred
hand at work,
a gentle touch
igniting the humble
soil of earth.
Because you ask
me to look
inwardly as well
as outwardly,
to catch the softest
tread of your
footsteps inside
my expectant heart
as you walk,
fill it with your love,
your presence,
and your thoughts.
© joylenton
AN INVITATION
How are you best able to listen to God and notice the sacred all around you? Use those moments to savor the sights and sounds or the calming silence. When you do sense these things, try jotting down a few words to express what you see, hear, or feel.
You might like to try your hand at writing poetry. It needn’t be long or elaborate. A three-line 5-7-5 syllable haiku would be a great starting point. For further inspiration, you can take a look at my haiku series here.
*Awareness poem was previously shared on the Poetry Joy and in Sacred Noticing: Seasonal Glimpses of the Infinite. Published with permission.
Joy Lenton
Contributing Writer
Joy is a grateful grace dweller, wife, mother, grandma to one beautiful boy, and an M.E and chronic illness sufferer for over 30 years. She’s a devotional writer for the Good Ground app, a contemplative poet sensing the sacred in the every day at poetryjoy.com, and a contributor to the Godspacelight blog. Joy is also the author of Sacred Noticing, Experiencing Lent, Soul Shots, Embracing Hope, and Seeking Solace.
Poetry as Prayer
Writing our own psalms is about learning to express our emotions in an unedited way, it’s about giving voice to our joy and our pain. Writing haiku teaches us focus on a single moment, awakening us to the wonder of creation all around us.
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