Work by Kristi Parmer

My Face Against the Wall

Sometimes it seems:
As thought there’s no where else to go,
There’s nothing more to try
And no body on which to lean

When everyone is removed
And we are falling, falling down
The bottom that we hit
Forces out our last bit of air

With the bricks of the wall weighing in
Our eyes see no space left
Desperation is our cry; yet silence is what we hear

In the stillness of our sobs, the voice of truth is heard
As his love unstacks the forms
Although it seems all is a waste, and your lifeless body limp
They can steal but not destroy; your breath they may not take
I am always in control... my control respects your space
What they meant to hem you in
Actually saved your very life
Because now you seem my hands
Are placing the pieces of your life
All must move away, because your life is much too large
Bursting free, from the bondage of these walls.

Psalm by Kristi Palmer and Candace Huffmaster ©all rights reserved 2010

After speaking with Kristi about her picture and discussing it's meaning we spoke about Hezekiah feeling like this possibly.  I have listed the text from God's Word Translation here for you to ponder this as we did.

Isaiah 38:1-20
1In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: Give final instructions to your household, because you're about to die. You won't get well." 2 Hezekiah turned to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3 "Please, LORD, remember how I've lived faithfully and sincerely in your presence. I've done what you consider right." And he cried bitterly. Then the LORD spoke his word to Isaiah, 5 "Go and say to Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'm going to give you 15 more years to live. 6 I'll rescue you and defend this city from the control of the king of Assyria.'" 7 [Isaiah said,] "This is your sign from the LORD that he will do what he promises. 8 The sun made a shadow that went down the stairway of Ahaz's upper palace. I'm going to make the shadow go back ten steps." So the sun on the stairway went back up the ten steps it had gone down. 9 King Hezekiah of Judah wrote this after he was sick and became well again: 10 I thought that in the prime of my life I would go down to the gates of Sheol and be robbed of the rest of my life. 11 I thought that I wouldn't see the LORD in this world. Even with all the people in the world, I thought I would never see another person. 12 My life was over. You rolled it up like a shepherd's tent. You rolled up my life like a weaver. You cut me off from the loom. You ended my life in one day. 13 I cried out until morning as if a lion had crushed all my bones. You ended my life in one day. 14 I chirped like swallows and cranes. I cooed like doves. My eyes were tired from looking up to heaven. I've suffered miserably, O Lord! Please help me! 15 What can I say now that he has spoken to me? He has done this. I will be careful the rest of my life because of my bitter experience. 16 Lord, people live in spite of such things, and I have the will to live in spite of them. You give me health and keep me alive. 17 Now my bitter experience turns into peace. You have saved me and kept me from the rotting pit. You have thrown all my sins behind you. 18 Sheol doesn't thank you! Death doesn't praise you! Those who go down to the pit cannot expect you to be faithful. 19 Those who are living praise you as I do today. Fathers make your faithfulness known to their children. 20 The LORD is going to rescue me, so let us play stringed instruments. We live our lives in the LORD's temple.


Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc ©all rights reserved 2010