For God Only

My soul 

waits in 

silence for 

God only.

There lay my daughter’s art project;

a cookie sheet with an assortment of makeshift tools;

a screw, a pocket knife, a pencil,

a pair of nail clippers, a large tack, paints,

and a coffee mug containing

a few art brushes soaking in murky water.

Etched onto the face of a slab

of dried plaster of Paris,

accompanied by a few simple flowers

and gentle swirls,

these words speak a simple truth.

But… it is broken.

A few inches off the bottom,
including the petals of one flower,

have been portioned off

and remain separate.

Attempts have been made

to fit the jagged edges together

with various adhesives,

but to no avail.

As I try to grasp the depth

of the meaning of these words,

my heart is sad that

such a lovely piece of art

with so moving a phrase

is wasted.

Suddenly,

more profound to me

than its beauty and creative simplicity

is the fact that it is broken.

It is only when I am broken

that my soul may truly enter

into the purest silence;

that of waiting

for God only.

“My soul waits in silence for God only.”

The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul..."

~ Psalm 23:1-3