The Outpour of a Romantic's Poetic Soul when Surrounded by Nature

Arthur Rackman - "The Song of the Lark"

Being surrounded by and moving through the beauty of nature, the mountains and forests, meadows and streams, causes a desire to press up from inside me as a mountain spring presses through the ground and pours forth. As I walk through the forest, catching a glimpse of a hidden meadow here, a group of wild flowers there, and step through a little stream rolling playfully over my path... I long to be part of a story.
I desire sometimes to be the breeze that flows above and smiles in delight upon the stream running along beneath me. I fancy being the river or a naiad within it, gliding gracefully, playfully, or peacefully from mountain spring to lake, and even, perhaps, to the sea, always singing along the way. Singing. Sometimes a sad song which strangely comforts the lonely dreamer who knows that the water speaks to him with understanding. Sometimes a song rippling sweetly with peace and serenity that causes a soul, though filled with the greatest terror ere sitting by the side of this wide river, to soon be released of dread, and wonder how such fear could have held him with so strong a hand, when all the while the world contained a beauty that speaks of great unending love, flowing as endlessly as the river, sweeping far away all fear and torment from the soul of any man who will but sit and listen and believe its song. And sometimes still, a song of joy, ringing on the stones, rushing over and around boulder and tree, urging all to join in its endless praise and delight. Then leaping from simple delight to zealous passion, a song that soars from broken earth to dive deep among the rocks below, surging in strength and power that makes the strongest man appear weak, but urges him to yet grow stronger, mightier, and humbler.
And so, as a river, I would sing a song for every man if he will but leave the noise of life and listen.

But if I cannot be the water and its song, I wish at least to follow one of those little streams, discover its patient course through obstacles and the life that it has nourished in all colours and shapes growing gratefully by its side, and finally find its source. To drink from a mountain spring… where the birth, the giving of life, is continual, and the life that comes forth leaves its source only to give life to all it meets allong its chosen course.

And, if it were possible, I would, indeed, like to become the night sky. With the folds of my cloak and the locks of my hair flowing far over the world, wrapping it in darkness. My care would go out to those exposed to my gaze. I’d see all that went forth thought unseen. Some men cower and shiver, filled with terror at night, but they know not that I watch and them keep. Lovers gaze at my beauty in awe and delight, foolishly comparing the light of my stars or my silvery face to the one they hold close to themselves in the closeness of night and the intimacy that I provide. I would see those who wander, lost from the light of the fires and candles that wait for them in the places that they call their homes; though the wisest of these know the help they can find in the signs I provide as their guide, and these look with peace and a joy at my lights, rather than dwelling on the darkness at their feet. Then there are those, who sit ever still, neither lost, plotting, nor seeking a place for to hide away with the one whom they love. These lay under my gaze for its sake alone and adore me from their place below. They marvel at my beauty, find comfort in my covering, and appreciate the silence I bring that allows their quiet thoughts to come forth. Then I hear things that no one else will ever hear; quiet songs that rise gently to my ear; heartfelt confessions that bring release to the soul; earnest prayers and genuine praise; lines of poetry read for the first time aloud; till they finally sneak back to bed.
Perhaps it is because I am of this last sort, that I should like to be once the night sky. Her beauty draws the spirit nigh to the point of awareness that sight has in the day.
To be, for but one absence of sun, the night sky….

And so nature’s beauty surrounds and overwhelms me and, as it has done to Romantics throughout the lifetime of Man, it pulls nearer the surface the poet that lives in my soul that desires to express the Beauty it knows and sees, and to thus praise the Creator who is more Glorious than all of His living creation.

So, as a lutist bows to the king he sings tales of when his song is done and his lute silent, to the King I bow to the ground from which springs all the creation of which I have sought to paint a picture as it is a reflection of His Beauty. And if this is a disfigured reflection, as I am a distorted image, how much more Beautiful and Glorious will be the New Heaven and Earth which we long for, though we may not know for what we groan.

So I bow to the ground, which points to the sky, and sings ever of His Glorious Name.

Good Reading

I've been reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer for my Old Testament History and Litterature class.

Here is some food for thought from the chapter "The Self-Existence of God"



" 'What possible meaning can the self-existence of God have for me and others like me in a world such as this and in times such as these?'

"To this I reply that, because we are the handiwork of God, it follows that all our problems and their solutions are theological. Some knowledge of what kind of God it is that operates the universe is indispensable to a sound philosophy of life and a sane outlook on the world scene. The much-quoted advice of Alexander Pope,

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan:

The properstudy of mankind is man,

if followed literally would destroy any possibility of man's ever knowing himself in any but the most superficial way. We can never know who or what we are till we know at least something of what God is. For this reason the self-existence of God is not a wisp of dry doctrine, academic and remote; it is in fact as near as our breath and as practical as the latest surgical technique" (34-35).



"As a sunbeam perishes when cut off from the sun, so man apart from God would pass back into the void of nothingness from which he first leaped at the creative call" (35).





"The natural man is a sinner because and only because he challenges God's selfhood in relation to his own. In all else he may willingly accept the sovereignty of God; in his own life he rejects it. For him, God's dominion ends where his begins" (36).



"Because man is born a rebel,he is unaware that he is one.... He is willing to shar himself, sometimes even to sacrifice himself for a desired end, but never to dethrone himself" (36).



"after Peter had preached the first great Christian sermon. 'Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and bretheren, what shall we do?' This 'What shall we do?' is the deep heart cry of every man who suddenly realizes that he is a usurper and sits on a stolen throne" (37).



"To set our will against the will of Go is to dethrone God" (37).

Terribly Majestic

My God is a terrifying God. He is holy, sovereign, and almighty. Recently I was struck by this and given a vision of God as such through the Holy Scriptures. A couple sundays ago Erik Thoenes, continuing the series we're going through on the book of Daniel, read and preached from Daniel 10, which I will quote because it is powerful and you should read it.

"I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.

"And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

"Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, 'O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.' While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, 'Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words [...]'

"When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, 'My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.' Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong! So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, 'Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me'[...]" and the lord after strengthening him presents this overwhelming, vivid vision of prophecy to Daniel.

Though it does not say expressly, I believe that this man is the Christ, long before the incarnation chronologically, and if not, at least an angel/messanger representing God, and in that case, we are to be all the more in awe of Him seeing that He is greater than His messengers.

God is terrifying. If we know Him and see Him as He is, we will fall down before Him trembling and with no strength of our own. Yet He is also is gracious and abounding in love so that He will reach down and touch us, strengthening and comfort us that we might stand before Him in His strength, ready to hear Him, worship Him, serve and obey Him.

A.W. Tozer says in his book The Knowledge of the Holy (which I'm reading for my Old Testament class)

"The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.
"With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Mordern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit."

I'm seeking better know God, and understanding this about Him has been curcial. I want to worship Him genuinely and live for Him passionately, faithfully, & joyfully.