Thursday, June 3, 2010

Come

Breathe on me
Reveal the mysteries
Of your steadfast love
Melt my heart to tears

Open your word
That I may see
Delicacies of Truth
Restore these brittle bones

Teach me to Hope
In you alone
I lift my eyes
To the hills of Salvation

Unlock the hidden things
Found within the folds
Of your splendor
My heart burns for you



Lead the way
Up the mountain of sacrifice
I raise the knife
To find your provision

Come morning light
Warm my sinful soul
Shred my pride
That I may gaze on beauty



Sunday, December 13, 2009

thankful

you could have allowed me
to remain
enslaved to my false hopes
of idealism.
it would have been easy
to watch me carry on
for another four years,
twinkle-tapping in sparkly
fairytales that were
never meant to be.
but you are faithful and merciful,
a gracious father
who longs to give of your goodness
and so you broke me.
the well manicured walls 
of self-protection
came tumbling down
while my soul drown
in pools of salty tears.
rising up were the jewels
of contrition and brokenness
so that i can stand
in the hope of your love.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

emmanuel

the word of god
is food for my soul.
where does my help come from?
from where
does the source of 
life spring forth?
it is in the quiet place.
the tabernacle of my heart
where the spirit of the living god dwells.
nothing else 
can satisfy the depravity
of my shattered soul
but the one who calls himself
emmanuel.

hungry

my soul is thirsty
for the life that
comes from 
the spirit of god.

come oh holy god
and breathe
on these bones that are 
as dry as the dust of the earth.

as deep cries out to deep
so my soul calls
out to christ my savior.

to be like a tree 
planted next to the 
satisfying riverbed
is the longing of my heart.

here i am 
communing with the
one my heart loves.

and here i ask -
hold me close to your bosom
and speak tenderly
with the wind of your spirit.

Monday, May 25, 2009

one thing

in all of life
there is but one thing,
to seek after
the burning heart of the
father almighty
to bow before his throne
and send forth the
fragrance of worship
to sit with eyes wide open
and gaze upon the
beauty of the lord.

in all of life
there is but one thing,
to arise to the beckoning
of the bridegroom
and partner with love
to dwell in the house
of the gracious redeemer
singing songs of intimacy
to wait and take heart
for the one who
leads beside quiet waters.

in all of life
there is but one thing,
to restfully lie
in the safety
of his dwelling place
to be protected by
the shelter of his tabernacle
and rest my head
upon his breast
to be transformed
by the fiery kiln
of radiant intercession.

in all of life
there is but one thing,
to look to him
with cheeks that are
void of shame
to run towards the
irresistible grace
of the one who
bides me to come
to delight
sitting in his shade
and eat the fruits
of his goodness.

in all of life
there is but one thing,
to position myself
in a posture of humility
and fill my lamp
with oil
to wash the feet
of the one
whose sandals i am
not worthy to touch
to be baptized
by the sweetness
of him
who was, and is, and is to come.

Friday, May 1, 2009

deuteronomy 8:2-10

be careful that 
you do not forget
the lord your god.
remember -
remember when god
led you away from
 your comforts, safety, and familiarity
into the land of the unknown.
this land that is called
the desert
became the hands
that stripped you
of every form fitting facade.
the desert posed as
the loosening force
to unclench your
white knuckles that gripped
the rope of control.
in the desert
you were left
naked, alone, and vulnerable.
the only company was
your sin and a mirror
with your broken
image reflecting from deep within.

be careful that
you do not forget
the lord your god.
remember -
remember when god
led you away in
order to test you
so that what is 
in your heart
could be illuminated by grace.
this test bore
the face of depression
producing dark nights
without the hope of dawn.
the test grew
to become your character
of perseverance
with each step taken
towards the cross of redemption.
with this test you lay 
prostrate.
completely humbled
so that all that remained
was him that is 
in you.

be careful that
you do not forget
the lord your god.
remember -
remember when god
fed you with truths
of your identity.
naming you
beloved, daughter, and bride.
with this food
you began to arise
with the light of hope
flickering in the distant
good land.
the food was your portion
that held you through
the testing desert
in order to call you by name.

be careful that 
you do not forget
the lord your god.
remember -
remember when god
provided as you 
walked in his ways.
the salt from you tears
transformed into
drops of olive oil
dripping from a heart of praise.
these gifts took on
new tastes.
instead of the bitterness 
of anguish under your tongue
lay the sweetness
of honey and pomegranates.
your parched soul
was quenched
with streams and pools of water.
provisions that were 
never scarce
filling your ever need.
lacking nothing
completely satisfied.

be careful that 
you do not forget
the lord your god.
remember -
remember when god
led you to the desert
tested your heart
fed you with truth
and provided your everything.
praise him!
praise his name
and do not forget.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

ash wednesday selah

my bones
they are wasting away
the sin 
of my soul
is too hideous to reveal.
in silent hiding
i must remain.
but dare i
acknowledge
the veiled ugliness?
selah...
day and night
your hand
it is so heavy
crushing, pressing down
upon me.
the strength
of my flesh wilts
as in the heat
of summer's sun.
all day long
groaning seeps from
every fiber of my being.
this pain is too great.
but dare i
acknowledge
the veiled ugliness?
selah...
my eyes
grow weaker still
with the sorrow and grief
that consumes me.
the affliction
of my heart
crushes the spirit
within.
brokenhearted i remain
alone, cold, and anguished.
but dare i 
acknowledge the veiled ugliness?
selah...
untiring hands
stretch forth
in the emptiness of my night.
again i refuse
your comfort to my soul
it is easier here
the familiarity of sin
has become a companion.
my silence
strengthens its deceptive
friendship.
but dare i
acknowledge
the veiled ugliness?
selah...
forsaken i have become
who can save me?
the pain
of my loneliness
strangles the light
holding me hostage
as a prisoner of inequities.
the troubles of
my heart
have conceived and filled
my life with despair.
there is only silence.
but dare i 
acknowledge
the veiled ugliness?
selah...