This free writing is inspired by some creative prayer I engaged with last year using papier Mache (see the bottom of this post for the image with light shining through from behind). Materials are mostly recycled leftovers from other projects and prayer stations.

(Image: November 2023; Writing: 26 February 2024)

The materials of life’s journey –
here paper, sticks, even glue,
all scrap from creativity gone before,
with just the odd new addition merged in.
It’s a bit like life really –
all sorts of things from time gone by –
good and bad are part of life,
returning to mind from time to time
and all the while, yet more is added –
all gathered together to make us who we are.

Sometimes, it’s all murky as we see first the edges –
no colour distinguishable in the dark murky brown,
no order or cohesiveness,
no comprehension of anything happening.
Thoughts are all scattered, it feels out of control,
the world is untidy, with no sense of order.
But yet, perhaps like each star in the sky,
each piece of wood is carefully placed,
carefully planned, ready for its development,
but only when time is right
for God to guide us inwards into light.

As, and when, we take that step –
it’s still dark, still chaotic….
But wait – can we make out subtle colours
in the dark blue and purple depicting the sky,
and the dark greens that represents the land?
We’re starting to make sense that this is our world,
creation made especially for us.
The wood too, pieces joining together,
beginning to gather order and strength,
beginning to feel that somehow they all fit.
Perhaps we feel the start of a fragile trust
that from the chaos, the beginning
of a sense of order, of purpose, of hope.

One more step and the light is brighter –
colours now turn clear and bright,
the land, the sky clear to see
and the sunrise (or sunset) colours
bringing yet more colour to the world.
Clumps of wood too – grow still bigger,
gather together in each corner of our mind –
our thoughts beginning to make sense,
within the wider picture of the world,
the wider picture of God’s plan taking shape in our minds.
We’re beginning to glimpse clarity,
that beginning of order, of purpose, of hope
moving surely towards assuredness
of trust, of peace, of renewed life in God’s plan.

At last, we lift our eyes to the centre,
the bits of wood, gathered
in an understandable shape at last.
Gazing at that cross,
speaking of all the chaos and pain of that murky brown,
and yet the light of the hope and clarity
shine through with this big redeeming plan –
that we witness as order forms from the chaos of life
and experienced all the hope grows brighter from the darkness –
God’s order through the Cross is now clear for all to see –
the light of Christ rises, again and again, anew, in us!

Our journeys continue,
through the valleys of thoughts and emotions of life –
sometimes direct from chaos to order,
yet perhaps more often with thousands of diversions,
stepping back into chaos repeatedly along the way.
Over time, each new thought our minds throw into the chaos,
slowly, but surely, finds order within the Cross –
the Cross is our hope, our strength and renewal,
and God’s plan to bring us to peace.