Living in the Present: Our Inner Room

Hello All,

Today’s poem is entitled, ‘Our Inner Room’.

Before I present this poem to you, allow me to clarify what it means.

Because I understand that many Christians might feel uncomfortable with the phrase, ‘inner room’. So this is just in case you might be thinking to yourself, ‘Oh no! What has become of Joanne’s writing? Is she spreading heresy?’

‘Inner room’ is not a literal term taken from the Bible but it is rather a personal description of our intimacy with God expressed through prayer.

What I mean is, God is the One we can be most open with in expressing our thoughts and feelings for He understands us perfectly – better than any human being can. He knows the words we are going to say even before we utter them.

Even in our closest human relationships, there is a need to construct our sentences in a way that would best convey our thoughts and feelings to our loved ones who, in the end, would not be able to understand us a hundred percent.

And no human being is able to be with us every second of the day but God is always there for us. In the deepest hour of the night, He is there to comfort us as we pour out our grief, loneliness and sorrows to Him in prayer.

Even if the death of loved ones might have hit hard on us, may we find our solace in Christ who is the anchor that holds us steady in the raging tempest of this turbulent life.

Living in the Present: Our Inner Room

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (28th March 2014)

Based on Henri Nouwen's 'Here and Now: Living in the Spirit'

The day has been long, we are tired and anxious

Brewing problems have been cruelly spilled on us

We dread the future as it unlocks its contents

To reveal the trepidation of the present

The past reminds us of unpleasant memories

We try to conceal and hide them away safely

From the eyes of the world and the people we know

There is a need to show that we are in control

The past and future consume us with distractions

Our hearts can find no peace in such situations

But do we bring our struggles to God in prayer?

Do we lay our burdens before our Creator?

Let's shut the doors behind us and get on our knees

Tell God our sorrows, worries and anxieties

Fix our eyes on Christ, the light in our inner room

Our loving Lord will lift from us all fear and gloom

Points for Reflection:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7)

·         What personal struggles are you trying to deal with? 

·         What burdens you are bearing?

·         Are you troubled by the past?

·         Are you anxious about the future?

·         Do you bring your struggles to God in prayer?

·         Who do you think is in control of your life?

·         Do you trust that God is in control?

·         How could you find comfort in Him?