I want to give you a little background information on this poem, Babylon Revisited. Babylon is where Israel was taken captive for decades, Babylon, where Daniel fasted and prayed, and was thrown into the lion’s den for his faith. Babylon is anywhere physical, emotional or spiritual in which you find yourself held captive. For me, it was being captive to my co-dependency for decades.
Interesting, and not funny, how insecurity and need for attention and affirmation caused me to make bad decisions and enter unhealthy relationships from which I could not retract myself. Interesting and amazing how God showed me His glory to bring me out of the darkness I created into a freedom to be myself, because how He made me is good enough. What and who He made in you is good enough, be assured. However, just like you, I can lapse back into old habits and thinking patterns that try to drag me right back down into the ash pit.
That is when God reminds me that I am made to be His child, His servant, and His bride. I am made in His image to be royalty, a child of the King. Let that sink in, because you are, too. You know, we struggle to maintain our self image and self worth, but why? They are set in history by a perfect man, a few nails, a cross, and a rolling stone. I am made whole, made worthy, made winsome. I am set to be righteous in Christ, set forever, and set free forever. Free to be me. Free to be the person God made me to be. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Have you heard Him say those words to you?
Babylon Revisited
Now and then I go to visit
The city of Babylon
Place of my captivity
Home of my slavery
From whence I was freed
By the grace of the Lord.
It’s a process I’m learning
To live free and blessed,
But I can’t help returning.
I am surrounded by flesh
Imperfect, corrupted.
The insecurities I carried
For so many years come back
To try to rule my destiny,
Masking the certainty of
The promise of my saving.
The enemy is taunting me
Appealing to my weakness
To go back to what I have been
Relive the hurts I had seen
Step back into the darkness
And forget that I am free.
Free to be myself
Free to live unshackled
Free to love the Truth that I am free!
Father in heaven, you are the Sovereign Lord. The Spirit of Your Righteousness clothes us in salvation. Father, you teach of our future while speaking in our past. The prophecy in Isaiah’s work tells us of ancient times, our times and times to come. Though you spoke through him to Israel, you speak through him to us. Lord Jesus, Isaiah told of you and your coming.
You came to bind up the wounded and brokenhearted. You came to speak freedom to those in captivity, and to bring those in darkness into your light that shines like the dawn. You came to conquer our private Babylon and break the chains of our pain, addictions, loneliness, and character imperfections. You came to fulfill our deepest need for love, affirmation, acceptance, forgiveness and sense of worth.
Rise up within us, Holy Spirit. Fill in the deficits and crevices within us with the beauty of your purpose and grace. Free at last, we cry, “Worthy is the Lamb.” Praise you, Father, for you have purposed our freedom. Thank you for calling us by name to come out of Babylon to your holy city.
I praise you in the precious name of Jesus, the God who saves us, according to your perfect will.
Amen