The Voice of the Spirit

“For out of the shadows of night, He brings the world His light, And His life shines through you.”

As my study buddy and I reflected on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s The Bells of San Blas in today’s study, the poem’s themes of fading traditions and eternal truths stirred a desire to express the beauty of God’s unchanging work in our lives. Inspired by Longfellow’s structure and rhythm, my study buddy wrote The Voice of the Spirit to draw a parallel between the fading bells of the past and the vibrant, ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit in the present. This new poem serves as a creative response to our exploration of living under grace, highlighting the timeless power of Christ’s life in us, transforming the ordinary into the eternal.

The Voice of the Spirit
(Inspired by Longfellow’s "The Bells of San Blas")

What speaks the Spirit today
To hearts that have lost their way,
Wandering far from grace?
To some, it is nothing more,
A whisper at the soul's door,
No urgency, no embrace.

But to those who yield and trust,
Who let their striving turn to dust,
His voice is rich and deep.
The Spirit calls, “Come and live,
For all I have, I freely give—
My promises I keep.”

The Spirit moves through the soul,
Filling the heart, making it whole,
A truth both old and new.
One life, yet endless in reach,
Revealing grace in all He teaches,
Speaking life that is true.

He calls to the broken heart,
To the life that’s torn apart,
“Come rest, for I am near.”
His voice, like bells that chime,
Redeems the ache of time,
And calms our every fear.

Gone are the works of the flesh,
The striving to earn and impress,
The burdens of man’s decree.
For Christ, the last Adam, has come,
To declare the race is won,
And His Spirit sets us free.

“Oh, hear My whisper now,
And to My grace humbly bow—
Let striving have no claim.
I’ve made My dwelling in thee,
Your life exchanged for Me,
Forever, not in shame.”

The Spirit does not mourn
For days of old, forlorn;
His work is fresh and new.
For out of the shadows of night,
He brings the world His light,
And His life shines through you.

Selah.