A year ago exactly I was in the middle of the hardest spiritual and emotional turmoil I can remember. A wonderful friend recommended Jonathan Martin’s recently released How to Survive a Shipwreck. It was my introduction to Jonathan. I could not be more thankful for his writing/teaching/prophetic voice. Shipwrecked: I don’t think there was a better word for how I felt. Shipwrecked. It is one of the best books I have ever read, and certainly the most important book I have read in the past five years. You can purchase it here.
This book was a catalyst for healing in me. After all the words and waves settled I began to write, and what came from that was a poem. I’ll post it here, maybe you can resonate with some of this. If so, read this wonderful book by Jonathan Martin, I promise the waves will settle soon, and if you’re at the bottom, I promise there is grace down there too.
Grace In the Depths
Sinking into the depths No drinking, only thirst The weight of sin and separation No foothold, shipwrecked, only desperation “Save me” I cry out Will this truly continue? Is there no compassion within you To rescue one as submerged? The salt-water waves surround me Thundering, crashing, swallowing No light now Only darkness abounding My eyes grow dim There truly is no sign of Him This is the fate of the broken and down trodden To be swallowed up at the dirt-floor bottom How could I have not known? In Him I've never been alone The chaos that surrounds This mire pit of blood-drip sinking with no clinging The salt-water wrath was mine to bear But you turned the cup face up drinking Swallowing every drip-drop ounce of wrath It’s not in separation that I’ve been submerged This self-idolization must be purged For in the depths there is death Blackness met with a promise kept Out of chaos, light The waves will settle At the bottom of this place Is the end of me Swallowed by this raging sea Swallowed wrath, new identity At the bottom of this place you wait For you were plunged first Bearing what I deserve The waves will settle