A Meditation on Creation (Haiku's for daily praise)

While in seminary I had the pleasure of taking a class that was co-taught by two of my favorite professors, Dr. Carson Brisson and Dr. Rebecca Weaver.  The class was called "Writing The Faith" and in it we read various creative texts on religion and spirituality.  From those readings we were to be inspired and given prompts to write creatively on our own.  Right up my alley!  The poem below is an offering from that class.  I've tried to define the Hebrew words that are utilized in the poem, although not as eloquently as Dr. Brisson would have done. He would have given a story for each word!

 

"Sabbath is not for the sake of weekdays but weekdays are for sake of Sabbath. It is not an interlude but the climax of living."--Abraham J. Heshel

 

 

(Sunday)

blessed, hallowed, rested

the Lord claimed that it was Good

honor Elohim[1]!

(Monday)

toh-vu-va-vohu[2]

separating light from dark

Night and Day praise God!

(Tuesday)

Firmament and sea

Adonai[3] called the dome Sky

glory to our Lord!

 

(Wednesday)

soil rose from water

Earth and Sea, vegetation

Creator, we praise!

(Thursday)

Spoke--let there be lights

Sun, Moon, and millions of stars

sing your majesty!

(Friday)

winged fowl, swimming fish

filling the waters and Earth

gracious your bounty!

 

(Saturday)

Remes, Behemoth[4]

in Your image we are raised

Hallelujah Lord!

 

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[1] A name frequently used for God in the Hebrew Bible. Elohim (plural of El) the first name used for God in the Old Testament.  “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.”

[2] The Hebrew word for the Chaos out of which God created all things.  “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”  

[3] Adonai, a name for God.  Often used together with Elohim.

[4] Remes: Hebrew for the “Creepy-crawly, tiny things that move along the earth. Behemoth: a giant beast. "And God said, let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind."