In Clay Jars

Posted by Jenny on Jan 16, 2012 in Snippets |

Having been reminded of the Story of The Little Tea Cup recently, I was also reminded of a poem I wrote for my youngest brother. At the time he was going through a losing battle with depression. It was so hard to watch him as he plunged again and again to the abyss of despair – unable to feel the love of his family or God, unable to hold on to hope, to see a brighter future without the severe emotional pain he felt or to take hold of the arms streteched out to him to help and comfort him. After each harrowing down he would have renewed hope and brave resolutions but before long the slide towards despair would begin again. I wrote the poem a year before he died – as my heart ached for him – and read it out at his funeral. I am convinced that in the end God reached down to him and enfolded in his great forgiving love & finally he was able to accept it. This poem is written for him – and for myself who is also a clay jar in the maker’s loving hands. I am not really a poet but I hope this poem might speak to you as it spoke to me.

Jenny

In Clay Jars

This treasure in clay jars God holds,
Clay that is cracked, dirtied, chipped, abused,
Clay that hides the treasure
God enfolds.

So often we see but the outward shell,
Judge others and ourselves by imperfections which abound,
Turn our backs on treasure
God knows well.

His likeness, His image he placed
In us, when from clay and living breath Adam He made.
On His light, community and love
Are our natures based.

We turn our backs on Him, our source of life.
In arrogance and pride we snatch our own way, find our own light,
And lose our path in despair,
In darkness and in strife.

Yet of the treasure he placed within He never loses sight.
He took our clay, broken on a cross,
He took our darkness and strife and with the Father,
Made us right.

Transformed from the grave, God’s Son declared,
He gives new life to our clay. By the Spirit of fire within
Fills cracks, cleans and reveals,
Our treasure shared.

This treasure in clay jars God holds,
Clay that one day will be transformed and translated
To eternal realms, to reveal the treasure,
Father, Son and Spirit enfolds.

Jeanette (Jenny) O’Hagan 2001 (Written for & recited in memory of my brother Chris 1966-2002)