Love and oneness

Ruth Kirk

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

You love me,
And I love you –
Thank you that
We’re one, not two.

I love you,
And you love me –
Jesus, you have
Set me free.

One in body,
Heart and mind –
Our shared aim
Is being kind.

One in spirit
And in soul –
Loving you, Lord,
Makes me whole.

Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour (Matthew 9:22, KJV).

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

References

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Solomon 6:3

My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Solomon 2:16, NIV).

Be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24, NIV).

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:8-11, NLT).

Sitting alone

Ruth Kirk

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private (Matthew 6:6; NLT).

The LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it! (Genesis 26:16; NLT).

I sit all alone –
Without a word;

Bask in your light –
And this is prayer;

Speak if I must –
You listen, Lord,

Then rest in the dark –
For you are there.

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BES).

Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light (Micah 7:8; NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

References

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13; NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him (1 John 5:14; NLT).

God has told his people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest” (Isaiah 28:12; NLT).

Worship

Ruth Kirk

As they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him (Matthew 28:9, NLT). 

I worship you
In silence
Filled with praise,

And honour you
In stillness
Filled with dance.

I treasure you
In darkness
Filled with light,

And love you, Lord:
My way, my truth,
My life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, NLT).

References

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13, NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7, NLT).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21, BES).

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1, NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3, NLT).

Love and peace

Ruth Kirk

As he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:41-2, NLT).

I pray for peace
Throughout the world –
In every heart.

For no more guns,
And no more bombs –
The end of hate.

For no more fear,
And no more grief –
The death of war.

Then all will live
In love and peace –
For evermore. 

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:2, NLT).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18, NIV).

Don’t pretend

Ruth Kirk

God knows all our thoughts, and the secrets of our hearts. High-flown prayers, self-justification, minimisation, pretence, concealment, hypocrisy, and outright untruths are all completely pointless with God. NB: They don’t make for good, honest relationships, or good mental health either!

You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

When praying, don’t pretend
And don’t conceal.
Be genuine and real,
So Christ can heal.

When praying, don’t tell lies
Or hide your doubt.
Be congruent with Christ,
Inside and out!

When praying, be yourself,
For he is near.
Just speak the truth in love,
And he will hear.

When praying, be yourself,
Just as you are –
And make the Son of God
Your guiding star.

I am the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16; NLT).

I have given you an example to follow (John 13:15; NLT).

References

You know my thoughts (Psalm 139:2, NLT).

You know my heart (Jeremiah 12:3, NLT).

I am with you always (Matthew 28:20, NLT).

He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him (1 John 5:14, NLT).

Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, NLT).

Freedom to Be

Ruth Kirk

If the Son sets you free, you are truly free (John 8:36; NLT).

It’s okay to be how we are,
And okay to feel as we feel.
It’s okay to think our own thoughts,
And okay to pray how we pray.

There’s no other way we should be,
And no other way we should feel.
There’s no other way we should think,
And no other prayer we should say.

So be how you are: it will change,
And feel how you feel: it will shift.
Notice your thoughtflow, and pray your own truth –
For freedom, through Christ, is God’s gift.

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; NLT).

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10; NLT).

References

Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law (Galatians 5:1; NLT).

You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13; NLT).

God

Ruth Kirk

God sits above the circle of the earth (Isaiah 40:22; NLT).

God above us,
Brooding, wise:
You hear each cry of grief,
Each breath.

God beside us,
Here on earth:
You give all beings
Life and death.

God in every
Heart and soul:
You are our pearl,
Our King of kings.

God amongst us,
We are one:
Please shelter us
Beneath your wings.

Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings (Psalm 61:4; NLT).

Questions

Ruth Kirk

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29; NLT).

Does Jesus ask too little,
Or does he ask too much?
What does he truly ask of us,
And does he ask enough?

What Jesus wants is kindness,
And gentleness, and faith;
Deep, patient love, and self-control –
And so he gives us grace.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8; NLT).

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-3; NLT).

References

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34; NLT).

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NIV).

God who sees

Ruth Kirk

You are the God who sees me (Genesis 16:13; NLT).

You are the God
Who sees our cares;
You hear our sighs –
Again, again. 

You are the One
Who knows our fears;
You hear our cries –
Anew, anew. 

You are the Christ
Who shares our pain;
You weep and bless –
Afresh, afresh. 

You are the Lord
Who bears our grief
And loves us all –
It’s true, it’s true.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; NIV).

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

References

He knows the secrets of every heart (Psalm 44:21; NLT).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4; NKJV).

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds (Psalm 36:5; NLT).

The mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain (Isaiah 54:10; NLT).

Worship

Ruth Kirk

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5; NIV).

My root and my vine;
My bread and my wine.

My strength and my peace;
My joy without cease.

My truth and my light;
My way and my life.

My teacher, my prize;
My pearl without price.

My staff and my rod:
My Lord and my God!

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).