Mary Harwell Sayler's Blog: In a Christian Writer's Life, page 8

As Christians, we’ve heard of the ministry gifts the Holy Spirit gives God’s people to build up the community of faith. Hopefully, we even know what our particular gifts are. If not, we can always ask God to reveal this as we reflect on the various gifts listed in Romans 12 and First Corinthians 12.
For instance, some of us have a gift of wisdom, discernment, exhortation, or healing, while others have a God-given ability to teach, preach, evangelize, or do administrative work. Usually, we can recognize those gifts in the Christian community, but what about the gift of prophecy? Do we recognize that gift in other people of faith – or in ourselves?
According to a search on Bible Gateway, the word “prophet” comes up at least 450 to 500 times. However, we might have heard more about false prophets, which, ironically, the Bible only mentions a couple dozen times. Apparently, that’s enough to frighten us! But, that's enough of that!
Dare we ask God to reveal the prophets in our midst? Or – to be really daring – dare we ask, “Lord, am I a prophet?” God might stun you with a “yes!”
Anxieties over false prophets can make us wary of that gift in others – and unaware of that gift in ourselves. But, if we dare to pray about it and consider this possibility, we can tell if these descriptions fit us or someone we know.
Are you drawn to read God’s word, again and again?Do your values often differ from those of other people?Do you see where things are headed long before they’re there?Do you recognize the Lord (or His absence) in the people or situations around you? Is truth truly important to you?Are you apt to look beneath the surface and beyond the way things seem?Can you see into the heart?Would you rather please God than people?Can you identify problems but also see solutions?Do you long to see wrongs corrected?Are you sensitive to God’s movement?Do you often feel an urgency to pray?Do you encourage God’s people to seek and obey Him?Do you speak up when no one else will?

Many people think of a prophet as judgmental or some kind of psychic able to tell the future, but that’s not it at all. A gift of prophecy does come with power to discern what’s going on and to see where it’s likely to end up, but, more often, a prophetic gift helps God’s people to wake up to spiritual realities and gain courage to use whatever gifts they have been given to serve the Lord.
Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2020

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Poets Who Make Us Better: Rainer Maria Rilke posted on Interlitq (The International Literary Quarterly.)
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Bible Prayers: Praying for mercy


The mercy of God contains many gifts: forgiveness, redemption, resolutions, and peace.

Poetry Editor: Saying More Than You Say:


A poem that gives up all of its secrets in one reading will not likely draw readers to read it again and again. What to do? Read this post to discover some options.

Poetry Editor: Mary Oliver: my favorite poet:


The exquisite yet accessible poetry of Mary Oliver speaks for most of us and got me back to writing poems again.

Bible Prayers: Praying for our Leaders – and theirs : 

As the pandemic continues to affect our country and almost every other country too, tensions increase and blame abounds, spreading the contagious dis-ease of bad attitudes and depressing outlooks. 
We can contribute to the general malaise, or, as Christians, we can take another tack. Here’s how the Apostle Paul prayed in troubling times.

Bible Reviewer: Literary Study Bible, ESV:  

Many study Bibles inform us about cultures, customs, or political powers that affected God’s people, but the Literary Study Bible, which Crossway kindly sent me to review, helps us to enter through literary forms that enable us to experience God’s Word as though we’re there.

Bible Prayers: Praying for God to redeem: This Bible prayer of Moses speaks for us, too, as we seek God’s protection and redemption from all ills, including COVID-19. 

[Spoiler Alert! We know we've all sinned, but this prose poem makes it personal.]

Even in the Garden of Eden, God wanted everything perfect. How could I fit in? I thought of fruit as food, not fare for knowing good and evil or other things over my head! Why entice me with beautiful berries wrapped in seamless silken skin – fragrance summoning me – and no seeds to navigate around, no hard core in the middle?
I admit I disobeyed. I ignored Your clear instructions, Lord. And then You murdered me!
You sent my now-limited life from the Garden in shame – spiritually dead, nothing the same, everything changed forever.
How hard I toil for fruit that spoils in a life filled with imperfection! I feel worthless. I question myself at every turn, fearing Your rejection.
Where do I go? How do I live with myself? How do I live without You?
Trying to be good and obey every dot and iota of the law didn’t do it! Neither did self-hatred nor mutilating remorse. I wanted to make things right, Lord, but I couldn’t, and You wouldn’t let me!
You sent Yourself –Your Son –
The Perfect One –
Who perfectly suitedYour plan of redemption, the Fruit of Yourself –Your Pure Love – given to exempt me from my own sin.
I’m sorry, Lord! I’m sorry, but I could not stand to look on such Whole and Holy Loveand live as I’d been living.
What could I do but kill Him?

by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017

[EPILOGUE/PRAYER: Lord, help us to confess anything that keeps us from You. Help us to truly accept Your forgiveness. Praise You, Lord, for overcoming death, forgiving all who turn to You, and bringing us new life and a fresh start each day in Jesus' Name.]
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Bible Prayers: Praying for pardon: 

In this Bible prayer, Moses asks God to forgive the sins of generations past that still affect God’s people and their families.