for my love

deep will call
©6-27-10 hannah mclean

i know what you desire
in the heart of your heart--
to know His love
surpassing knowledge

i see His faithfulness to promise
granting your desire
but the path winds through the depths
where your deep will call to His

pained
i wrestle for you in prayer
but surrendered i have vowed
to walk through the valleys with you

"I am the rose of sharon, a lily of the valleys." Song of Solomon 2:1

the Lily in the valley
©6-26-10 hannah mclean

voices cry to You from the valleys
where the shadows of the mountains
have eclipsed Your light
echos return

wandering though the deeps, seeking
knowing You will not forget Your own
revelation of Your presence comes
from the lily

You are the Lily in the valleys
opening Your petals to declare
Your longing to bless us
displaying Your beauty to radiate
Your desire to delight us
blossoming in the depths to remind of
Your offer of eternal hope

once found, feet forget to move
planted beside Your blooming brilliance
basking in the pleasure of
beholding You

but You are not content to leave us
in the valleys when the heights call for
our crippled souls by name
echos return

You are the Lily in the valleys
a hint of what is
a whisper of the fullness of the mountains

may the discovery of You in the Lily
stir in us a longing for You
nurture in us a desire You
spur us on to offer all to You

but may we not forgo the heavenly heights
for the valleys
where the Lily blooms but for today

Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?

I had sort of a rough day. I've had a lot of stomach pain for the last 3 days, and today, as I was driving home from dropping off friends at the airport (I had been unable to eat lunch with them because I couldn't take anything in), I found myself praying and heard myself asking God, "Why won't You help me? Why won't You help me?" Almost like I was asking Him, "Don't You care?" Those words were heavy words. The hung in my mind as I considered what they revealed about me:

my help
©6-1-10 hannah mclean

i listen to the words
that ring from my lips
in desperation
the sound of pleading pain
reverberating like a string
strummed too hard
“why won’t You help me?
why won’t You help me?”

they roll through my mind
and fall
with great
heaviness
upon my fainting spirit

but self pity does not ensue
instead i find myself exposed
doubting once again
the heart of God
for me

inside my mind
recalled blessings remind
lilies opening--displaying vibrant beauty
familiar faces--proclaiming Your faithfulness
love accepted--with undeserved marveling
cup overflowing

shall i accept good from the hand of God
and not adversity?
shall i sacrifice the blessing of suffering
in pursuit of comfort?
shall i crumble beneath burdens
to be laid at Jesus’ feet?

my cries may echo
“why won’t You help me?
why won’t You help me?”
but they are met by Your response
“I AM
and I want so much more for you.”


Job 2:9–10 "Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips."

May the reality of God's heart for me never fail to penetrate my doubt.

picture: the eagle's pride

Here is the picture that the Lord gave me: It looked like a political cartoon, there is a beautiful city abounding with blessing and the Lord is at the center. But the people push Him away from this place, and as they shove Him to remove Him, the picture crumbles and dispels behind them so they cannot go back because there is nothing to return to.

the eagle’s pride
©5-27-10 hannah mclean

stars and stripes,
how you have soared at heights like the eagle
a nation once abounding with blessing
centered on the Lord
but the pride of your heart has deceived you
for you push away
the Blesser, the Giver, the Keeper, the King

this land of rich blessing
crumbles behind you
as you show your Savior the door

do not be surprised
to find when you seek to return
that you cannot go back
to find that blessing no more abounds
amid stars and stripes
to find that your wings grow tired
and heights become depths
for such is the ruin that comes
when you remove
the Blesser, the Giver, the Keeper, the King

o Lord, have mercy
may the removers fail to
move You

"...that you may have strength to comprehend..." Ephesians 3:14-21

strength to receive
©5-8-10 hannah mclean

“resounding
abounding
I come to you”

full fledged light from Your face fills mine
the intensity of Your light
burns my skin
You are too much
clouds gently release me

strengthen me to receive You
expand me so Your fullness doesn’t destroy
i long for unhindered beams of Your glory
i desire to take You in
i reach for You
resounding
abounding
You come to me
i relish Your light

and every time i must close my eyes
i lament my weakness as
i ask for the strength to receive

Ephesians: Song 1

©5-4-10 Hannah McLean

Chorus:
You lavish the riches of Your grace
flowing with favor from Your face
as You turn to us and shine on us

Your plans for the fullness of time
expand for the fullness of man
Father of Glory, we bow our knees

Verse 1:
There are dimensions to Your glory
that even angels long to see
but it’s the unveiled eyes of man
that behold the mystery of Your plan

Verse 2:
Chosen to be Your children
before the world would be
Brought near to You, Father
by the blood Christ shed for me
Blessed in the Beloved
by the riches of our Lord
Receiving every promise
by the Spirit in the Word

Chorus

You wash over me

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

waves of grace
©4-15-10 hannah mclean

i writhe
fears bombard me
pain permeates from within
weakness wilts my countenance
i am overwhelmed
i am overwhelmed

but Your comfort leaps from the page
as i read Your Word
“fear not, for I am with you
be not dismayed, for I am your God...”
i close my eyes and
speak Your truth
“I will strengthen you
I will help you...”
i open my mouth and
sing Your promises
listening to the tune
that rolls from my lips
“I will uphold you with
My righteous right hand”

and i feel You with me
i feel You with me
could there be a greater joy?
You wash over me

You wash over me
with waves of grace
waves to wipe away my fears
waves to soothe away my pain
waves to cover me with strength

no longer overwhelmed by burden
that buries
but overwhelmed by gratitude
that carries
restored and uplifted
i sing your praise