Beat Poetry and Gifts from God

I try to think about God and sometimes I realize that He has not only shown up, but has been there for quite a while.

I was driving home from work on one of our rainy New England evenings, thinking about the day, avoiding traffic and trying to relax. I had something on my mind that I had found on-line (wonderful thing, the Internet!). It was an audio file of some songs and poetry by a person whose work has become interesting to me lately. While no longer in the land of the living, some of his work does live on.

One thing that he did well was beat poetry, something for which I have acquired an appreciation. His stuff is good, but it doesn’t lift the Lord or in many ways, my spirits very well. So, the thought crossed my mind, what if this guy had done beat poetry that did praise Jesus?

My already active imagination began to work, and in my mind, I began to ‘hear’ this person’s voice doing beat poetry…

‘Praise God, praise God, praise God,
Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord, He is Lord, Indeed!’

I knew that I would never be able to write down what I was hearing, but it was so good! I wished I’d had a recorder with me, but in the moment it would have been a distraction. Then I realized, this was a gift for me, only me, and only for the moment.

I relaxed and began to enjoy my private ‘poetry reading’. Just then, I turned a corner, being careful of the rain covered highway. I glanced up into the gray clouds and was greeted with the largest rainbow I had ever seen! Now, wishing for a camera, I tried to stay on the road while enjoying the view. And then it became clear again, this was a gift, only for me and only for the moment.

I found myself grateful to and for my God, who not only supplies my needs, but shows His love in such tender ways as well. Those moments are times when I experience worship.