Turn My Face, O Lord

An Honest Prayer-Poem for When Darkness Presses In

Looking for Light

Author Note:

Have you ever tried writing or journaling your thoughts/prayers/poems to God? Many of my friends and I find it helpful and healing.

This little lament came from a morning in which the darkness from recent losses and the winter blizzard threatened to suck me in. I forced myself to write because I know how it helps.

After “emptying my trash” into a journal page and then a poem, I came to write this second one, which I will share.

“Turn us around and bring us back to you again! That is our only hope! Give us back the joys we used to have!

— Lamentations 5:21 (TLB)

Turn My Face, O Lord

Turn my face,
O Lord
Toward HOME;
Where no darkness
overtakes
Where glory
So shines
That darkness
Won’t survive
And lie
That I’m unseen

Turn my face,
O Lord
Toward your Light;
Soak me
In Your warmth
Of Presence--
Not loosed,
Wandering aimless
To shiver
In the dark.

Turn my face
O Lord,
To view--
the Incomparable
Beauty of You!
Hold my face,
Keep me there
By your gaze
Eyes ablaze
Tether me
Hold me close
Lift me please
Out of despair

Once more
Into your care

And turn my face
Towards you.

“Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day.”

— Psalm 139:12, NLT

The Light Shines in the Darkness

May the Lord bless you, keep you, and turn your face toward His light when the darkness presses

For Worship:

Stay by Zahriya Zachary—(the video isn’t my favorite, but I love this song and the words, especially “tethered” since I used it in my poem)

Credits/References:

*Photos by: 1) Alexander Grey and 2) Jon Tyson on Unsplash

*The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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