On this Valentine’s Day it seems apt to consider how love is a many splendid thing, lifting us to dizzy heights and dropping us down again. It’s full of feeling, driven by emotion, laced with passion, fuelled by lust and desire, sought after and highly prized. Though it is far more than hearts and flowers, lyrics and poetry, chocolates and cards, nice as they are.
Human love is often fickle, variable, blowing hot and cold, prone to alteration and change, seared with sadness and pain. But divine Love is something else entirely—always glorious, unconditional, freeing, totally giving, honouring the other, everlasting, eternal.
In my first magnetic poetry offering today I examine a relationship which isn’t all it could be. I’ve imagined a scenario between two lovers where things once burnt firework-bright then fizzled into little sparks.
Broken fever
This hard-voiced growl from his cool
lips comes out of a broken fever
But she needs more morning peace, and
lingering longer over picturing poetry
like porcelain and remembering when joy
brilliant as fire dazzled like desire;
and warm breath-throb words could melt
her sad, icy heart with a ferocious
laugh—and a ‘let’s celebrate’ kisses embrace
©joylenton2017
Then I imagined a time when love was new, Eden-fresh, bright and brilliant. A morning of mists and mellow mood. A season where the sun shone softly and hearts were united as one. A time of perfect union and wild harmony.
Wild harmony
Above dawn-moist world, behold
beautiful birdsong sanctuary
of soft spring blossom colours
blooming full, warm as Eden
Here we would have strolled,
always following a quiet lake
moss-dark lichen path, as rain
breathes wild harmony like
nature’s deep, watery shade
©joylenton2017
God’s kind of love—pure, unselfish love—is what we are to aim for in our dealings with one another. Yet we fail spectacularly, fall flat on our faces—unless we let God live in us by His Spirit and love others in and through us. Then we have access to God’s rich, full, unlimited ability assisting our weak, limited ability to love as well as we can. And on our best, dependently-leaning-on-God-completely days, love can begin to flourish and look something like this…
“Love never gives up. Love cares for others more than self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first”, doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end” ~ 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 ‘The Message’
The lovely bible verse heart image above comes courtesy of little birdie blessings, which you can find here.
Poetry Joy 
Dear Joy,
My heart brimmed full of tears as I read these words:
“blooming full, warm as Eden
Here we would have strolled,”
thinking about all that we lost at Eden. But what Grace that He never stopped loving us, and opened a way for us to know His Love again. That longing is what those verses in Corinthians truly answer! Thank you for your beautiful words that opened a new way for me to taste the longing of God today. Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, my Dear Friend! xoxo
Dear Bettie, I was a bit concerned about jumping on the predictability bandwagon with this post. But as I perused the poems I’d not had energy enough to publish yesterday, I saw a linking theme of love. So I am sighing with relief to hear how you have been touched by these words! And I am feeling deeply thankful to have been the means of allowing you a brief taste of “the longing of God” today. You are so precious to Him and don’t you forget it! Our Eden history may make us weep when we consider all that was lost, but our hearts leap in gratitude for the restoration we have in Christ. Blessings of love, rest and peace to you. xoxo
I love the Message translation of that passage. Thanks for this sweet reminder of Gods love friend!
Me too, Tara! A different translation can bring a Bible passage that has become overly familiar alive again, making it fresh and revealing in a new way. Always a useful thing to wake us up to the Word anew! Bless you, friend. xo
Joy, as usual I love both your poems. So full of meaning and so beautifully expressed! And the reminder of God’s perfect love, which we want to emulate. “Yet we fail spectacularly, fall flat on our faces—unless we let God live in us by His Spirit and love others in and through us.” Yes, this! I want God to live an love through me. May it be so for all of His children.
Many blessings to you dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo
Thank you, Gayl! These magnetic poetry offerings seem to lend themselves well to storytelling, don’t they? The hard part is knowing when to stop! I’m glad you were able to read them well.
I knew God’s love was likely to be a hot topic among believers writing a Valentine’s Day themed post. Nevertheless, it’s always an amazing thing to marvel at and share the wonder of it any day or week, because we live and breathe and have our being in His glorious Love.
Abundant blessings to you, dear sister/poet/friend! xo 💜
Reblogged this on Pastor Michael Moore's Blog and commented:
A beautiful reflection on Divine and Human Love, Joy! Yes, it is much more than a Hallmark holiday!
Thank you so much, Michael! May God’s love continue to fire and inspire you, my friend. 😊💜
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too, Joy! Sorry I’m a day late, but the thoughts are just as sincere. 🙂 Three words here especially warm my heart – “beautiful birdsong sanctuary.” I love it. Birds always remind me of God’s faithful care over us, and He truly is a sanctuary of love. Love and hugs!
Trudy, your sweet presence here always warms my heart, and love greetings never have a sell by date! 😊 I’m grateful to have words to share that have spoken to you. Birds are a beautiful reminder of God’s faithful care and of our need to trust and sing our way through life, fully confident in our heavenly Father’s ability to look after us.
May you be at rest in God’s sanctuary of love and know that nothing need ruffle your feathers as you seek shelter under His powerful wings. Love and hugs! xo
Words strung as fine as pearls. Your poetry never disappoints, my friend. Blessings on your weekend!
June, my poet heart lifted with your own beautifully expressed thoughts of “words strung fine as pearls.” What a lovely description of the gift of writing! I’m grateful for the way you honour God’s gift in me, and even more thankful to have your sweet friendship. Blessings and hugs to you, my friend! xo
Hello Joy! Your poems are beautiful. Your entire post is brimming with love. Thank you! ❤ xx
Hello Vashti, it’s a joy to see you here! Sorry to have become a stranger lately. Most of my time, limited energy, focus and concentration are largely being used up with visiting my husband while he is in hospital and trying to cope home alone as such for a while. Sadly, there isn’t a great deal left over for blog visiting, linking up, reading and commenting, nor receiving as much inspiration to write myself as often as I want to. Though I am thankful beyond measure for the beloved blogging community I belong to, of which you are a valued member. Thank you so much for stopping by to light up my site! xo ❤